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Following recent , welcome rain on Magnetic Island , seen above under cloud in the distance, photo by Abra, the Queen of the Jungle said it seemed as if climate change had confused Rain Orchids . This unusual statement was based on the fact that her Rain Orchids, and others on the island , had flowered , usually indicative of good rain within seven days, but this did not eventuated , just a few slight sprinkles.
Probably a month later , good rain has started to fall overnight , but it seems not as much as in Townsville .
The effect of the rain is evident in many ways , the dripping Illawarra Frame Tree flowers , for example .
Flying ants came out in droves , lizards of various sizes emerged to feed on them , wasps began scooping up water to make mud nests, ,butterflies are fluttering about in numbers, laying eggs .
Throughout the rain , the Curlew sitting on eggs out in the open in a dangerous position under a frond shedding palm tree had a narrow escape when one thundered down while she was in situ ; off the nest chasing an intruding Curlew when the photo was taken , eggs far left and a mug of drinking water supplied at this blog's expense.
A variety of small, flying insects and colourful larger beetles ,see one here, were noticed on plants .
