Monday 12 April 2010

Dry foothills and wasps

This afternoon coming home from work I was struck by the beauty of the foothills of the Uppity Downity Mountains in their dry condition. They looked almost white against the still green forest.  

There was very little traffic and I was able to safely stop on a corner where it is not usually possible to stop.  I like this view, the little farm buildings that I don't normally see as I negotiate this corner. 


How lucky am I drive into this scene every day?

I have a positive identification of yesterday's wasp.  Thanks, GB, for suggesting the Department of Conservation.  I sent off the photos last night and this morning received a very courteous reply.  My wasp is like me, an Australian import, a Golden Hunting Wasp, Cryptocheilus australis. They 'hunt' spiders, paralyse them and then drag them off and lay their eggs in them so their young have a constant food source.  Mystery solved! 

3 comments:

  1. I'm so looking forward to seeing the Uppity Downity Mountains again.

    Glad the wasp mystery is solved. I was quite intrigued.

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  2. You are very lucky to have that drive! Are they really called the Uppity Downity Mountains? What a great name!
    I've looked back at your recent posts and found the one about the road surface very interesting. We just call it all gravel - that's what we have on our driveway and many roads in the prairie provinces aren't paved, but surfaced with gravel. I like it because I can hear when a car comes up our driveway - no surprises!

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  3. Pondy, no, they aren't officially called the Uppity Downity Mountains, I first nicknamed them that to amuse my grand-daughter. The Tangihuas was far too difficult for a four year old. But the name has caught on with my friends and family. I agree, there's no way a vehicle has creep quietly anywhere on a metal/gravel road. Another blogger tells me some places in England they call similar roads "The Chatter". I think I will use that term in future, I think it is very descriptive.

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