South East Queensland OCTOBER 2017 Volume 11 Number 4 Newsletter of the Land for Wildlife Program South East Queensland ISSN 1835-3851 CONTENTS 1 Jumping Spiders 2 Editorial and Contacts 3 Flora Vignette How to propagate Rose Almond 4-5 Practicalities Make your own wildlife rescue basket 6-7 Property Profile Folk Festival creates a wildlife One of the smallest jumping spiders is haven Jumping into Science Maratus purcellae (left) at 1.8mm long. 8 Our Little Corner Above is Opisthoncus sp. discovered by Moreton Bay: How does my umping spiders are the heavy lifters of Robert Whyte in his Brisbane backyard. property interact with the Bay? Jthe spider world. They have been curing arachnophobia, going viral online and are 9 Ecosystem Profile appearing on mainstream TV. Many new Their ability to track and ambush prey Unmuddying the values of species of jumping spider are being found is amazing. They can calculate distances in Australia, both in remote regions and while watching their prey, then move to a Coastal Saltmarsh also in Brisbane backyards. vantage point out of line of sight and with 10-11 Fauna Profile a prodigious leap, fly through the air to Migratory Shorebirds: If you were to lightly beat the foliage of grab their victim and immobilise it. any shrub or small tree on your Land for Extraordinary journeys, Wildlife property, you would be almost Jumping spiders have unusual mobility tenuous futures certain to have a new species of spider in allowing their abdomen to move in your collecting tray. This is because there elaborate and colourful displays. Some 12 Fauna Profile are more undescribed and undiscovered courtship displays in Maratus spp. (peacock Spiders: Architects of the spiders in Australia than there are known spiders) feature a complicated ritual of natural world ones. Currently there are about 500 leg waving, toe-tapping and abdomen described species of jumping spiders in twerking. Most have brilliantly coloured 13 Book Reviews Australia, but it is very likely that this will side flaps they extend like peacock tail 14 Landscape Conservation expand to 3000–5000 species when the feathers to mesmerise their mates. science is all done. The Little Liverpool Initiative Jumping spiders are small - the largest Jumping spiders make up about 13% of all being only 15mm long. They can be ant- 15 Flora Profile described spiders, the highest number of like, beetle-like and can even mimic flies by Mangrove Fern species in any spider family. walking backwards and having enlarged black spots on their abdomens. 16 Book Reviews All jumping spiders are recognisable because of their two large front eyes. The world of jumping spiders is thoroughly Four of the remaining six eyes provide explored in my new book, which is Published by Healthy Land and Water through 360-degree vision, which is astonishingly reviewed on page 13. funding from the Australian Government’s good. They are able to see the moon nearly National Landcare Programme as well as we can, and have the ability to Article and photos by Robert Whyte magnify their vision up to four times– a Co-author, A Field Guide to Spiders of skill many of us wish we could share. Australia (2017). Land for Wildlife Officers editorial South East Queensland Brisbane City Council Next year, 2018, marks a milestone for the some connection, however slight, to the All enquiries, 3403 8888 Land for Wildlife South East Queensland coast. I also took this opportunity to use Amanda Maggs Fflur Collier (LfWSEQ) program. It turns 20. Leaving the my editorial license to showcase one of my Cody Hochen Peter Hayes teenage years behind is a transition – a favourite groups of animals – shorebirds. Susan Nolan Tony Mlynarik Owenia venosa. time to stand on one’s own two feet and Their migrations are just so incredible. Catherine Madden own one’s power. Photo by Anita Morrison. Thank you to all contributors to this edition City of Gold Coast The LfWSEQ program has stood the – your stories build knowledge within the Lexie Webster, 5582 8344 test of time – it has outlived two state Land for Wildlife network and can make the coordinating agencies, three regional tough, and sometimes lonely, task of bush Saul Hondow, 5582 8022 coordinating organisations, twelve Council regeneration feel brighter. Let’s just hope it Scott Sumner, 5582 8896 amalgamations / de-amalgamations, three rains soon. Todd Burrows, 5582 9128 federal government funding programs Ipswich City Council and survived the swinging pendulum of As always, I welcome your feedback and flora Nick Swanson, 3810 6026 politics. contributions. Melanie Mott, 3810 6666 As a testament to its ability to move with Deborah Metters vignette the times, stay true to its values and remain Lockyer Valley Regional Council Land for Wildlife Regional relevant to the community, the LfWSEQ Martin Bennett, 5462 0376 Coordinator program continues to grow at the same Healthy Land and Water rate that it did 19 years ago. We must be Logan City Council doing something right! Peter Copping, 3412 5321 Question: Next year we will celebrate this anniversary Moreton Bay Regional Council in various ways, so keep an eye out for De-Anne Attard, 0438 910 715 How do I propagate Owenia venosa fruit on the tree (main image) and on the ground (left inset) partly correspondence from your Land for Wildlife Nicole Byrne, 0419 700 213 eaten by some animal. Photos by Melanie Mott. Officer. There are now over 7000 Land for Wendy Heath, 3883 5636 Rose Almond? Wildlife members who manage over 4200 own Land for Wildlife blocks at both Answer: With Patience! properties across SEQ. Thank you to all of Noosa Council Childers and in the North Burnett area. On you for coming on this journey of nature Kylie Gordon, 5329 6500 I a recent drive along a little used country hanks Anita for your enquiry. As I learn germinate but remain viable are considered conservation. It is a journey for which I am road near Biggenden I noticed many fallen more about dry vine forests visiting dormant. The seeds of Owenia venosa are grateful to have in my life due to the sheer Redland City Council T fruit along the roadside in one particular landholders in the Land for Wildlife considered to have mechanical dormancy diversity, interconnectedness and wonder Maree Manby, 3820 1106 spot. These proved to be from three very program, I have come to recognise very due to the presence of a hard, wood fruit of nature. I look forward to sharing this quickly that Owenia venosa or Rose Almond wall, usually an endocarp which is common celebration with you next year. Scenic Rim Regional Council large, mature trees with dark glossy foliage Keith McCosh, 5540 5436 and bark somewhat like an ironbark but /Crow’s Apple/Sour Plum is a common tree in the Meliaceae family. species in this vegetation type. The tree This edition has a bit of a coastal theme, chunkier. On two trees the fruit was in To find out who is having success at grows to about 20 metres and is found which may seem out of place for this Somerset Region clusters at the end of the twig, on the third germination, I spoke to a number of people in dry vine forests from the NSW border newsletter. But most of our properties have Darren McPherson, 5424 4000 the fruit hung singly – looking much like an from Native Plants Queensland and staff to Rockhampton, including around the apple tree. from regional native plant nurseries. Here Sunshine Coast Council Biggenden area. In Ipswich, these trees are are some tips that may help you propagate Alan Wynn, 5439 6477 Despite the large quantity of fruit that had mostly found around Rosewood, Tallegalla, Rose Almond. Danielle Outram, 5475 7339 fallen, few seemed to have been sampled Marburg and Pine Mountain. Landholder Registrations, Land for Wildlife SEQ - 1/9/2017 by local wildlife. The ripe fruit seems to have When choosing seeds under an Owenia Dave Burrows, 5475 7345 The first thing you notice about this tree, no smell and a dab of the pink flesh against venosa tree, choose the seeds that are Marc Russell, 5475 7345 especially in winter, is its glorious, round, Registered Working Towards Total Area under my lip didn’t produce any unpleasant effect. almost rotting. Total Area Retained Nick Clancy, 5439 6433 pinkish-red fruit, which can grow to 4 cm in Properties Registration Restoration Its size is a little larger than a Burdekin Plum Stephanie Reif, 5475 7395 size. The fruit is technically referred to as a Plant the seeds in a compost heap – up to 9 cm circumference, matt not shiny fleshy aril (specialised seed covering). This under the shade of a tree and water the 3338 904 60,012 ha 6,894 ha and of a pleasant dusty pink both on the Qld Murray-Darling Region aril completely surrounds the seed inside. area every so often. Wait (yes, this may take tree and on the ground. years). Forward all contributions to: Print run - 4745 Toowoomba, Crows Nest and This is a truly beautiful tree and it’s no A local land owner told us that this was a Back copies from 2007 - 2016 western regions wonder landholders are asking how to To break the seed dormancy, consider The Editor available for download from Qld Murray-Darling Committee, wild plum and sought after in times gone grow them, but, to be frank it’s tough and sandpapering the seed, heating the seed Land for Wildlife Newsletter www.lfwseq.org.au 4637 6228 by as flooring for dance halls. However, near impossible! The seeds are notoriously up, impacting, scarifying or nicking the Healthy Land and Water Back copies from 1998 - 2006 the timber is so hard that sawing had to difficult to propagate and no one seems seed.