Photographs

A snail, is a snail, is a snail…..Not.

~ laura lecce ~ 21 Comments
Puerto Rican Snail - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Puerto Rican Snail – Photograph by Laura Lecce

You know you were meant to be a biologist when you get excited to discover that snails from different parts of the world look different. Both Puerto Rican and Malaysian snails are the size of mammoths compared to snails found in Sydney backyards (hopefully this fact makes Sydney gardeners a little happier). However, the shell shapes of these slimy creatures is very different. The snails from Puerto Rico are quite flattened, with the center point of the spiral barely protruding at all (photo above). Malaysian snails have a very elongated shell with the spiral being very pointed (photo below). If you are unlucky enough to have lots of snails in your veggie patch in Sydney, you might one day be lucky enough to attract a blue tongue lizard to your yard. These stocky lizards will happily take care of your slimy infestation, which is reason enough for me to keep feeding the snails in the hope that a lizard one day comes to dinner.

Malaysian Snail – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Flower Friday – Aussie Star

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Aussie Star - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Aussie Star – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This flower is an unknown that I photographed in Tasmania. A little, orange, star-shaped flower on a small shrub in the Tassie grasslands. Even though I spent a very long time trawling through Google images under many search terms, the flower and the name remained elusive. I am surely not the only person to have photographed this little gem, so if anyone can shed some light on this flower, that would be very much appreciated. It is fitting that I introduce a star in a month where the talk of planets has been quite abundant. The five planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn have been visible this month in the night sky, together, shortly after sunset. I hope some of you have been out sky, star and planet gazing this month. Happy Friday everyone!

Look At That Face!

~ laura lecce ~ 10 Comments
The Cutest Pademelon - Photograph by Laura Lecce
The Cutest Pademelon – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Today is a pademelon photo purely for the cuteness factor. I just look at this furry, chubby little critter and want to cuddle it. Hopefully, this little cutie can bring a big smile to your face on what is likely a very ordinary Thursday (or at least it is for me).

If you’d like to read more about their fascinating reproductive biology, please click here.

Moraine Lake

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Moraine Lake - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Moraine Lake – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Moraine Lake was one of the destinations on my trip to Canada last year. The purpose of this trip was to see some of Canada’s natural wonders, the beauty of the mountains and the amazing wildlife that call this country home. This lake was one of the many highlights of my trip. There are few places in the world that are as photogenic as this turquoise lake, surrounded by snow-capped mountains which provide a stunning backdrop. Located in the Valley of Ten Peaks, the lake is filled with glacial runoff which gives the water its signature color. As the glaciers thaw, the trickling water collects rock flour (sediment) on the way to the lake, formed by erosion of the rocks as the glaciers grind against them. This is a place in the world where photography cannot live up to actually being there. The crispness of the air, the tranquility of the forest, and the magnitude of the mountains all contribute to the magnificence of Moraine Lake.

Turquoise Water - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Turquoise Water – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Flower Friday – A Sweet Scent

~ laura lecce ~ 12 Comments
A Sweet Scent - Photograph by Laura Lecce
A Sweet Scent – Photograph by Laura Lecce

I think I’m starting to see a trend amongst my favorite flowers…. they’re mostly pink (I must be a girly girl after all, who knew?). This beautiful orchid is a phalaenopsis hybrid with a name I can no longer remember. I do however remember vividly the sweet aroma that this gorgeous flower produced every morning when it would see the sun. The fact that I remember the specific scents and not the names of most of my orchids is likely due to the fact that our sense of smell is the sense most closely linked with the memory areas of our brain. We thus associate those smells with specific memories and emotions. The scent of orchids reminds me of watering my plants in the morning sun while enjoying a cup of tea. Happy memories everyone!

For other flower Friday posts click here.

Bad Omens

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Black Crow - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Black Crow – Photograph by Laura Lecce

If crows are a bad omen, then my life must be terrible! Having done a fair bit of driving through various parts of Australia in quite a few different states, one major thing in common is that crows are everywhere. Supposedly they can be an omen for bad luck, good luck, health, wealth, magic, change and death. Death is the one that makes the most sense, since whenever you see roadkill in Australia (which can be frequent when driving on more remote highways) you will always see crows crowding around the carcass sharing in a meal. It is a bit eerie to know that an animal relishes in death for its survival, but it is also nice knowing that since death must occur, it is great that it feeds into new life.

Flower Friday – Pink Perfection

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Pink Water Lily Perfection - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Pink Water Lily Perfection – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Considering there are about 70 known species of water lily in five different genera, it’s easy to see how there is such a range of colors, shapes and sizes. This image was taken at the Nan Tien Temple, a Buddhist temple in Wollongong (80km south of Sydney). It is a very beautiful and tranquil place to visit, with lovely gardens and many water lilies silently floating in their ponds. Although both pink, this water lily is quite subtle and is very different to seemingly intense one that I have posted previously (click here to see). Have a pretty pink weekend everyone!

Cuddling Lizards

~ laura lecce ~ 7 Comments
Cuddling Lizards - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Cuddling Lizards – Photograph by Laura Lecce

This beautifully intimate photograph was taken on a walk through El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, the only tropical rainforest in the United States National Forest System. This moment was a particularly special one for me, as it was the first (and only) time I have seen lizards mating (and I have seen my fair share of lizards!). I was more careful not to disrupt their mating than I was about the photo, as the last thing I wanted was for these little beauties to miss the chance at making more gorgeous lizards. The actual walk that I was on was to see a waterfall. However, because I spent so much time photographing the lizards along the way, I never actually made it to the waterfall, as I would have missed my flight (but I saw so many lizards along the way, that I wasn’t even a little disappointed!).

For more posts on lizards click here.

Flower Friday – Tasmanian Waratah

~ laura lecce ~ 10 Comments
Tasmanian Waratah - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Tasmanian Waratah – Photograph by Laura Lecce

I don’t think many of us from mainland Australia would know that Tassie has its very own type of Waratah. The waratah is a very special flower to those of us from the state of New South Wales, as it is our state emblem. The Tasmanian variety is called Telopea truncata (seen in the photo above), which has different flowers to Telopea speciosissima that we are used to seeing. Through pure chance, this photo also includes a damselfly which might be one of three different types (apparently commonly mistaken) called Austrolestes annulosus (the blue ringtail), Coenagrion lyelli, or Caliagrion billinghursti. After looking through many photos of them on Google, I am most definitely not taking the chance at picking which one! Sometimes we are better off not knowing and just enjoying, have a great weekend everyone!

For other posts about Tasmania, click here.

Tasmanian Pond

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Tasmanian Pond - Photograph by Laura Lecce
Tasmanian Pond – Photograph by Laura Lecce

Since Tasmania has gotten such a great reception on my website, I thought I would continue this week with some more photos from the same area. This small pond that I came across on a walk, was clearly the perfect meeting place for numerous wildlife and insects. Looking into the water you could see millions of tadpoles at various stages of metamorphosis, even some having both legs and a tail, almost ready to fully transition into a frog. The grassy bushes were filled with damselflies chasing each other, interlocking, and forming their heart-shaped mating pose. Snaking through the shrubs are the favorite trails of the wombats who live here, the plants trodden down by the weight of these stocky creatures. A few times I was lucky enough to see them out for their late afternoon dinner, and they were quite happy to pose for some photos (see wombats here).

For other posts on Tasmania, please click here.