Strange stories are emerging about the impact of fires and heatwave conditions in Queensland , one of them involving the above scary looking Rhinoceros Beetle . During the wild weather this blog exclusively reported flying foxes were regularly invading Magnetic Island at night . Then bats started to drop dead in Townsville , Cairns and elsewhere and the media took notice . Now , with dead bats visible on the island , the massive nightly invasion appears to have stopped .Warnings about catching rabies from downed fruit bats were issued throughout the state
However, this blog was informed of an episode in which an island man was bitten on the toe when he used his foot to stop his dog from getting at a grounded bat . The story goes that the man had already had a needle for something and felt he was not in danger of coming down with mad dog disease . As a result , his friends have nicknamed him Batman .
Following a sudden storm in which very little rain fell on the island , the above black beetle was seen floundering around in a bucket under a downpipe. When plucked from what would have been a watery grave , the beetle epitomised the expression hanging on like grim death by wrapping itself about a finger of the rescuer and would not let go .
With difficulty , a photograph was taken of the beetle hanging onto the digit, hissing . After about 10minutes , a hanky was placed over the hand of the rescuer which was rested in a basket . Another 10 minutes and the still kicking beetle detached itself .
Another interesting story which emerged was about Cockatoos attacking two Barking Owls , also known as Murder Birds, which are notorious nocturnal killers of Curlew chicks .
