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Project Noah Nature School
Apiomorpha munita
This tough gall is on a stem of Eucalyptus obvata? The most obvious features of this gall are the 4 long, spiny horns which made the whole structure as long as my hand. About 30mm diameter on the main structure. In the last pic (a very old one) the large part was the home of a female insect but the two smaller tubes would have been where males lived.
In a local national park.
If this species appears on a different eucalyptus it may produce a variation of shape. See here where the spines have become broad based, flattened blades... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/856...
http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/forestry/forest...
http://www.lyncook.org/Lyn_Cook/Apiomorp...
Much better.
I think these brown ones are in their second or third year. Sometimes you can find dozens, possibly years of added galls, like a graveyard. I saw some today I will photograph for you next visit.
We're ready and waiting James !! Martin I found a better specimen - it has the four 'corners' to the main body. I was amazed at the overall length... now I can go with A munita
Mark you find some of the coolest weirdest most amazing things. I so need to visit your beautiful homeland!
They are pretty variable and females live more than one year.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/127...
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/535...
I used to open them and found wasp chambers in the older ones sometimes.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/139...
Very much an ex-home I think but I have never found a 'horned' one before. I have Peter Chew's A.munita as a ref but wasn't fully convinced of the 4 horns or shape... probably right though. I'll just have to find a fressher one to replace this.
Spotted on Aug 28, 2014
Submitted on Aug 27, 2014
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