I heard a thud and got a brief glimpse of a shape sliding off the edge of the verandah. My first thought was bat, then snake but then the thud-maker reappeared in the form of a very large moth. Then I mistook it for a Rain Moth, a little out of season and very optimistic. Research revealed it as a Giant Wood Moth - Australia's heaviest moth weighing up to 30 grams. The larvae chomp eucalyptus trees and are a pest in plantations. With the female carrying up to 20,000 eggs (wonder who counted 'em?) they certainly have potential. Another heatwave, with temps to 43oC, took its toll on plants and animals alike. Many of the birds, like this Crimson Rosella, suffered from heat stress. And wherever you are in the world you've probably heard about the devastating bushfires in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Loss of life, property, native animals, livestock, habitat - a series of cruel blows in these extreme climate conditions. Smoke from fires to the east has been hanging around the block and causes some very eerie sunsets.
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December 2020
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