Snakes alive - and disturbing the Peaceful

For all snakes lovers out there (both of you), Water Python at breakfast on Peaceful Dove.

Bird ambushed after dropping in for drink at puddle beside track.

About 50 minutes from strike (just missed it) to satisfied smile (pardon anthropomorphism) at Melaleuca viewing area in the Townsville Town Common.

Elsewhere, Black Whipsnakes playing romantic ring-a-rosy ...

...and another so intent on sunning it allowed approach to within two metres without more than  casual flickering of tongue.

Bonus for those who got this far, pet Macaw flying 200 metres from Cairns owner giving bird some exercise while visiting the Common a week or so ago. 

Male butterflies know how to seal the deal

Timed things just right to see female Cairns Birdwing emerge from pupa attached to Aristolochia in the Common.

All clear 20 seconds later and waiting for wings to dry.

Several males came by, didn't locate her. After about an hour somewhat tatty gent found her and mating began almost immediately.

Another frayed male arrived, tried to horn in. Too late!

The mating pair stayed together for rest of the day. No sign of either next morning. The lengthy after-mating period gives a mating plug inserted by the male time to harden.

Female Red-bodied Swallowtails receive an even larger mating plug, most plugs staying in place for their 2-3 months of life.

Wouldn't work so well for most animals, included Homo sap. But with butterflies there is a duct for entry of sperm and, via internal canal, an oviduct for exit of eggs.

Life questions for Man-Faced Stink Bug

How would you like to grow up as a  Man-faced Stink Bug? Hard to face that sort thing every morning. Stare in the mirror and know you'll be a Stink Bug. All day. Every day.

And what about the other half. Should she be pleased that she's not a Woman-Faced Stink Bug? Or annoyed to lack gender identity?

Do the nymphs know what's ahead of them? Perhaps because they're not yet man-faced, not even baby-faced, they're yet to know their fate.

Worse. Being an Australian Man-Faced Stink Bug is to be denied existence. Wikipedia and others place you in many Asian and Island lands, but not in Oz. Sometimes life just stinks!

Catacanthus incarnatus pair mating and nymphs sunbathing in Tyto today did not comment.

Doves spotted hard at it ...

Spotted Doves (Streptopelia chinensis) making hard work of it near the Tyto carpark. Looks like the male needs a calmer sutra.

Python pokes tongue at prurience

Is there no end to your interest in my sex life? (Female still in pandanus today.)

Go away, prurient human person! Click pix to enlarge