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Donkey Orchids- Pea Flower Mimics

8/7/2023

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Donkey Orchids (Orchidaceae Diuris species) are only distantly related to pea flowers (Fabiaceae), do not produce nectar reward, and at first glance look quite dissimilar. However, bees' vision differs from humans', and Diuris  flowers have evolved to be great pea flower mimics.
There are a number of Diuris species In this district, but several are difficult for average person to separate. For simplicity I put them into three groups.
  1. Donkey orchids (most common)  D. brachyscapa Western Wheatbelt Donkey Orchid, D. corymbosa Common Donkey Orchid, Diuris porrifolia, D. setaceae Bristly Donkey Orchid (at Newman Block).
  2. Bee Orchids D. decrementum Bee Orchid, D. laxiflora Common Bee orchid.
  3. Purple Pansy Orchid (Tarwonga Road) D. longifolia.
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Donkey Orchid
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Bristly Donkey Orchid
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Bee Orchid
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Purple Pansy Orchid
This interesting (and very detailed) research paper describes how Diuris brumalis masquerades as a Daviesia pea flower so solitary native bees will pollinate them. The bee genus is Trichocolletes, pea flower specialists, which resemble imported Honey Bees, but fly faster and more erratically.
Bees associate the Daviesia shape and colour with a nectar reward, and female bees also collect pollen.
I coloured the diagram to show how shape of the central part of the Diuris flower resembles a Daviesia flower.
colours are similar, but bees do not see the same colours as we do. In addition, bees can see ultraviolet light, which parts of the flower reflect to make them appear brighter (to bees but not us).
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Donkey orchid Daviesia comparison
Donkey orchids are less common than pea flowers in the bush, so to attract bees to them from a distance (up to 8 metres), they developed larger flowers and waving bright and reflective 'donkey-ear' petals.
​The researchers measured equal numbers of Tricocolletes and honey bees visiting Diuris brumalis in the Perth hills, and departing with the same number of orchid pollinea on their head. However honey bees were much less effective in transferring pollinea to the orchids to pollinate them This is another example of possible negative effects of honeybees on biodiversity.

​Further Reading: Footprints in the Pollen
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Williams Nature Reserve and Echidna Walk Trail

2/7/2023

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Williams Nature Reserve is a high hill on 230 hectares of bushland vested in the DBCA approximately 6km by road north of Williams. To get there turn off Albany Highway at Mckenzie Road and follow signs to the parking area. Facilities include picnic tables, an information bay, a 1.5km walk trail, and a lookout. There is no toilet. Fires and dogs are not permitted.
The Grade 3 walk trail suits moderately fit walkers as it has steep sections, and low ironstone outcrops adjoining the breakaway. The best time to visit is from June and November with peak flowering from August to October.

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​The reserve is located on mafic rock from the mighty Binneringie Dyke (as does Foxes Lair). Reddish ironstone laterite  has resisted erosion over millions of years, leaving a high plateau, with breakaways, steep flanks and deep gullies. 
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The Echidna walk trail leads to a breakaway lookout then loops down from the ironstone plateau through underlying rock/soil layers, which can be recognised by characteristic vegetation.
  • Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) / Powderbark (E. accedens) woodland on ironstone ridges and gravelly upper slopes.
  • Powderbark open woodland with almost no understorey on underlying 'pallid zone' pale to hard setting reddish sand / loam soil.
  • Wandoo - Rock Sheoak (Allocasuarina huegeliana) woodland on weathered bedrock soil.
  • Rock Sheoak, Wandoo (sandy surfaced), York gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba, loam) on flatter surrounding farmland soils.​
Unlike nearby reserves, there is little Brown Mallet (E. astringens - breakaway slopes) or Marri (Corymbia calophylla - deep sand, sandy gravel soil) here on the upland.
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Cross section of a landscape with similarities to Williams Nature Reserve
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Echidna Walk Trail 1.5km
​( approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour)

​
1. Walk upslope on the Jarrah  ironstone mesa to a lookout at a breakaway.

​The trail continues north near the breakaway edge. This section is very uneven with ironstone outcrops on the trail.

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Picnic table and information bay
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Lookout
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Jarrah on ironstone plateau
2. The trail turns downhill  to Powderbark woodland on reddish pallid zone soil below the ironstone gravel layer.
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Water repellent powderbark woodland below the gravel layer.
3. Further downhill  the soil changes to to open Wandoo woodland on reddish soil overlying bedrock
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4. Further downhill the soil becomes rockier as you enter Rock Sheoak woodland with winter ferns and low scrub and  annual herbs. Many annuals are weeds, but I found a Blue Lady Orchid Thelymitra crinita flower one October.
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Red loam under Rock Sheoak
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Thelymitra crinita October
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Native fern in winter
5. The trail becomes rocky and weaves through small wandoos and Calothamnus quadrifidus bushes as it crosses a small gully and ascends the other side.
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Calothamnus quadrifidus October
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Banksia fraseri Frasers Dryandra July
Picture6 Gently ascending trail


6. The trail gently climbs an upland saddle/valley with vegetation that varies from Powderbark and Wandoo overlooking the Calothamnus gully, and then below the lookout plateau.


7. The trail becomes sandy as it weaves through granite rocks under rock sheoaks.
Check for orchids here in August- September.

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7. Sandy surfaced granitic soil in Rock Sheoak woodland
8. Vegetation becomes sparse as you ascend through  powderbarks on red brown 'pallid zone' soil to the gravelly plateau.
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9. The last stage of the trail is through Jarrah / Powderbark woodland with a dense understorey of Pingle Banksia/Dryandra squarrosa.
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Open Powderbark woodland
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9 Powderbark with Pingle understorey
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Pingle / Banksia squarrosa August September
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