Weddin Mountains and Conimbla National Park

This is my second trip this spring to see the orchids which grow in profusion at these small, rocky outcrops west from Grenfell and north-west from Cowra.
These are in the central-west of NSW.

It is a long drive from Robertson, but the plants there make it worthwhile doing the drive.

A Green-comb Spider Orchid
Possibly Arachnorchis atrovespa
Originally known as Caladenia atrovespa.
PlantNET is down or I would link to that site.

Stegostyla cucullata - a lovely flower

A close-up of the labellum of Stegostyla cucullata

Hymenochilus bicolor
One of the Midget Greenhood Orchids
Originally called Pterostylis bicolor

This is an interesting encounter - an insect on the Spider Orchid. As far as I can tell it is not pollinating the Orchid, not is it feeding on the Orchid. It may well be attracted by colour, shape or possibly perfume. Either way, it was sitting there, so I took its photo.

Insect on Spider Orchid
Possibly a Mirid Bug.

It is likely to be a Mirid Bug, of which there is a large population in Australia.


I have uploaded a full set of photos on Picasa.
https://picasaweb.google.com/113268294402913437731/WeddingMtnsAndConimblaNatnLPark15Oct2012

This album is fully public.
There are some photos of other plants to start with to set the scene, and a Bearded Dragon for variety.

The first trip is recorded in an earlier Picasa Album - also fully public.