Bugs n Slugs

What are your best memories of bioluminescence? I’ve seen it quite a few times but my best memories are from a long time ago on Yorke Peninsula while on a student camp. It was simply magical. Follow the links in the post below for a great explanation and discussion about bioluminescence from our friends at the Marine Discovery Centre.

We seem to hear about it once or twice a year – strange glowing stuff washing up on some of South Australia's best-loved beaches. News teams race out to film kids and adults alike excitedly splashing around in water filled with what looks like the inside of a particularly vivid glowstick. But what exactly is this unusual phenomenon?
To find out, read Alesha Brewer's (University of Adelaide intern) latest article: https://shorturl.at/jkqvC

Price is my favourite place on Yorkes. This quiet little jewel of a town is surrounded by National park and has somehow managed to retain its authentic charm and down to earth vibe. It’s the perfect destination for birdwatchers and field Nat’s of all kinds. If you’re into fishing or kayaking then Price is right! Congratulations Price Progress Association. I can’t wait to see the mural in person.

The osprey called 'Mum' from the Port Lincoln barge has been immortalised in a nine-panel photographic mural on the museum building at Price. 🦅🪺

The photograph of the rare eastern osprey and her chicks by Fran Solly has been overlayed on a drone image from Lauren Clift.

Price was one of the first towns on Yorke Peninsula to have an artificial osprey platform and it's produced chicks the last three seasons.

Price Progress Association member Kylie Correll said the mural, opposite the playground, represented the beauty of nature and also family connections.

Pictured are Dan and Kim, who installed the panels, providing the osprey with a fishy snack.

When news is breaking, stay in the know. Download the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

If you’ve never been to the Kaṉku - Breakaways Conservation Park here’s a little glimpse of what you’re missing.

I was fortunate enough to be on a panel with Matt (via zoom) but I’ve yet to do the glass bottom boat tour. It’s definitely on my to do list. Is it on yours?

Meet Matt! The boss man and the brains behind Cuttys Glassy Boat Tours. After decades in marine tourism, (you might recognise him from another incredible SA based tour with some much larger sea creatures...🦈)

Matt saw the beauty and mystery in the Giant Cuttlefish migration and couldn't believe more people didn't know about it! Now, he's on a mission to make this natural wonder known to the world. Hop aboard and join his adventure! 🌊

I’ve got some adventures in store for this event. Can’t wait!

If you call the North Flinders district home, you are invited to An Evening at Mount Little in July,

Join the Are You Bogged Mate? conversation while Bugs n Slugs entertain the littlies before Mt Little Station fires up their pizza oven to feed the audience.

It's guaranteed to be a fun night out and details on how to register will be released soon.

This event is delivered by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board and supported by the FRRR, through funding from the Australian Government’s .

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

COOBER PEDY EDUCATORS!! Here’s a great opportunity to participate in some professional development this Friday. This training is $40 or FREE if you’re a participant or volunteer in the Kanku-Breakaways Bolt. Message me to book or contact Chevahn at the council.

Can’t wait to bug Coober Pedy next weekend!!! I have such a soft spot for the people and the nature of this amazing town. Fingers crossed there’s sunshine this year!

Can’t wait to bug you burnside!

ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL: Come and discover a unique hands-on experience with Animals Anonymous and Bugs n Slugs at the Burnside Community Centre on Saturday 15 June, as part of our Environment & Sustainability EXPO 🐛

All ages can interact with a wide variety of beautiful native animals, critters and creatures - no booking required! Free face painting will also be available, provided by ' Love Birdy' Face Painting & Body Art.

Find out more at www.burnside.sa.gov.au/Community-Recreation/Whats-on-in-Burnside/Environment-Sustainability-EXPO

Kids In Adelaide | Play & Go Adelaide

Happy 40th anniversary to the AALBG! I’ve been a friend of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden for most of the past two decades. The origin story of how the garden became what it is today is fantastic. Love this place and the plants and people behind it ❤️

History of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic garden, this video was co-funded by the Port Augusta City Council and t...

Stangate house Autumn garden affair is going off today. Perfect day, sensational weather, tonnes of amazing plant stalls all in a gorgeous heritage garden setting at Aldgate.

FANTASTIC project this one! Check it out.

2024 Bio·R Planting Festival Welcome to the 2024 Bio·R Planting Festival, held at Frahns Farm, Monarto.

My what big claws you have!

I love to bang on about my passion for the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden in Port Augusta. Here’s just one more reason to visit. If you can’t visit, you can still become a friend of the garden or you can make a donation to the garden which is a haven for plants and animals.

GET READY FOR CUTENESS OVERLOAD!!
🌿 Meet our new adorable garden resident!
Nikki a staff member stumbled upon this charming native pygmy possum during her routine irrigation box check. Not only did this little fella greet her with curiosity, but he... or she also graciously posed for a snapshot! 📸

I talk about sterile gardens a lot but this image really sums it up!!

Powerful image ❤

Thanks for letting us bug you Central Oval, Port Augusta

We had a lovely morning at the Pasadena Community Centre where we were quite chuffed to rabbit on about bugs to Her Excellency, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC - Governor of South Australia. (And I actually remembered to get a photo!)

Put down your chocolate for a moment … the earth is speaking to you. Listen. Can you hear?

As you cross your buns and make them hot, take a few moments to consider this special time of year in the cycles of our planet.

Earth’s Oestrus.

The Planet celebrated with a beautiful pink moon on the 23rd of April. This moon is the fourth full moon after the cold moon of December (The Christmas moon) and it brings forth Spring in the northern hemisphere and its inverse on our side. The first Sunday after this moon (also known as the egg moon/paschal moon/ecclesiastical moon) is Easter.

Its this moon that we herald when we celebrate Easter and we do that because humans have understood its importance to our survival for thousands and thousands of years.

No matter how far back you go, this moon is regaled by nearly every race and culture on Earth, in celebrations that predate Christianity.. You should see and feel the influence of this moon everywhere but most of us are too wrapped in concrete to really pay attention.

You will notice the moon if you follow the tides. Here in my town, the egg moon brings with it the onset of the most extreme tides, with very high, high tides countered by very low low tides.

Although we are in the Southern hemisphere, we too experience a mini spring of sorts (thanks to our mild climate at this time of year). Many spiders and insects are preparing for their final stage of development to become adults while others are completing their lifecycles and laying their eggs or making their egg sacs. If the weather remains warm, some will hatch, others will wait out the winter, timing their wait to coincide with the gradual cooling, then warming of the soil.

In my bug room I know that this weekend marks a turning point. Animals that are nearing the end of their lives will prepare to die, often clinging to their unhatched egg sacs for months on end, they may almost last the winter but they won’t see the spring.

Lots of fish and marine invertebrates are spawing or ‘running’ to spawn. Some of our fishing rules change at this time of the year because we recognize the need to protect those species that will mate and become egg laden over winter.

April is the last month in the blue crab season for this very reason. Blue crabs will begin to spawn now and develop eggs over winter that will hatch in the spring. Many larger mammals will do the same.

As for us humans, its time to get on the roof and clean the solar panels, batten down the hatches, mulch the garden and put down some home brew for the long winter months ahead.

Whatever else you do this weekend… Make some time to plant your bare feet in the ground and tip your hat to the moon cause make no mistake, when you narrow it down, thats what all this is really about.

Happy Easter!

Are you seeing more bugs in this heat? If so, which ones? Tune in to ABC Adelaide at two forty. I’ll be chatting with Nikolai about how bugs beat the heat.

I’m off to the lovely town of Price for a weekend of shorebirds, mangroves Arting and paddles! Can I get people enthused about mangroves in 37 degrees? Yep. I reckon I can!

If you haven’t met the tour de garden force that is Andrew from Andrew's Urban Farm here’s your chance to rectify this. Get on board!

SUMMER PRUNING WORKSHOP
Don't miss tomorrow's special workshop with our expert pruner Andrew Thompson followed by a Q&A session. At Garden Goodness Port Adelaide at 1.30.
https://www.facebook.com/events/756214616399937?

That Costa Georgiadis sure does get around! Go see him at the fringe to get a giveaway. Don’t forget that we lucky Adelaideans have this gorgeous nursery on our doorsteps - so if one native plant grown from locally sourced seed isn’t enough for you, you can go and get some more. The bugs will thank you for it!

Calling all sculptors!

Last Friday I had a chat with Sonya Feldhoff on ABC Adelaide about the road to the new submarine facility and it’s planned trajectory through the last stand of remnant bitter-bush blue butterfly habitat in metro Adelaide.

Osborne shipyard expansion puts rare Adelaide butterfly at risk In biodiversity parklands on LeFevre Peninsula at Osborne "are the two, last remaining stands of local providence bitter-bush", said Kris Messenger from Bugs & Slugs.

Thanks for letting us bug your new mega store today Bunnings Noarlunga A very special thanks to Bluey and Bingo for helping out too.