Awake!

Some of you probably know, i am not a morning person. But my fieldwork requires me to wake up at 5 am and eat breakfast (urgh) and start the day as the sun starts its day. Thank goodness it is only for two weeks and i can go soon back to my night-owlish ways. However, i do appreciate the time i am up in the field as it does let me see the sun at its kindest (in Australia the sun is a cruel tormentor in the field) and to see the animals start their day as i start mine. 

 

Many of them are just as sleepy as me and allow me to get some nice closeups of them. This little critter is a plant hopper in the family Tropiduchidae and belongs to the genus Alleloplasis. Most people have come across plant/tree hoppers in their gardens, they suck on plant juices and are often camouflaged to look like their plant hosts (some to disturbing degrees, see link). These guys in the photo also suck on plant juices but are conspicuous in amongst the spiky grass that they inhabit. But then again, they do look a little like a very aggressive ant on the island (the purple meat ant). Except for the wings. Plant bug wings are usually very functional but these wings are very unusual. I thought maybe they were used as gliding apparatus as i swear i saw one 'fly' away from me. My co-worker was very doubtful as to what i actually 'saw' happening and thinks that they are not actually functional wings. Perhaps we are observing the intermediate version in the evolution of a truly wingless form, an eventual, really good ant mimic. but im sure i wont be around to see that form, IF it ever eventuates. Gotta love the vagaries of evolution.

 Anyway, here are more critters that allowed some happy snaps to be taken of them in the early light of dawn... this is a camaenid snail unique to Barrow Island- Quistrachia barrowensis (at least i think thats what it is).

 A Polyrhachis ant was in a funny position with its legs splayed, trying to warm up in the morning sun.

 

And i thought the dew looked pretty on this spiky grass that dominates the island. The grass is in the genus Triodia, commonly know as spinifex and boy, am i not a fan of walking through the stuff. Its' spiky leaves can penetrate the hardiest canvas field pants and when dry, can break their spikey points in your skin which eventually fester leaving you with tiny little pustules of infection all over your legs. Fun. And that's why i wear teflon coated gators (shin protection) yep. Teflon in the field.