HYLAEUS BEE
Hylaeus certus

I have a bad habit of leaving my tools outside. In this drill bit holder a Hylaeus bee decided to use the empty holes as nest chambers. After laying an egg inside, she seals them up, as seen with the second hole from the left. Safe… until I ‘tidy up’!

Bensville, New South Wales

Canon 1DX Mk II, Canon MP-E 65mm 1–5x macro, 1/40, f/16, ISO 8000, small LED torch used for lighting

AUSTRALIAN GLOW-WORM
Arachnocampa richardsae 

The abandoned tunnel is illuminated by thousands of glow-worms. Glow-worms typically live in damp sandstone crevices, but this tunnel is home to a particularly large population. The site is closed to the public, so I took this photo through an iron gate, standing in a puddle of mud.

Helensburgh Glow Worm Tunnel, Helensburgh, New South Wales

Sony α7R II, Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art, 12 mins, f/1.4, ISO 800, Sirui W-2204 waterproof tripod, image processed using three shots at four minutes/shot to capture shadow detail and one shot at one minute to recover highlight detail, noise reduction applied using Topaz Denoise AI and Adobe Photoshop

AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE
Gymnorhina tibicen

One of my two resident magpies enjoying (really enjoying!) the sprinkler on a warm afternoon. The much-loved Australian magpie.

Auburn, Clare Valley, South Australia

Canon EOS R6, RF100–500mm f4.5–7.1L IS USM, 1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 1250, handheld, taken at 500mm

EUROPEAN FOX
Vulpes vulpes 

We moved to the Adelaide Hills recently, and surveillance cameras revealed a fox den under the house. I set up an outdoor camera to help us problem-solve. We discovered that our garden was their playground and pantry – a vixen and eight cubs. This family portrait was taken just outside my son’s bedroom at 1.05am.

Macclesfield, South Australia

Nikon D810, Nikon 50mm f1.4, 1/160, f/10, ISO 320, 3 x Scout flash units, tripod

GREEN TREE FROG
Litoria caerulea

On the main street of downtown Bellingen before dawn, I chanced upon this green tree frog making its way along the pavement who appeared to have ‘picked up’ some trash. I put my camera on the ground to get the perspective I wanted, stood back and took some photos.

Bellingen, New South Wales

Pentax K-1 Mk II, Pentax 28–105mm f/3.5–5.6 28mm, 1/3, f/3.5, ISO 100, camera placed on ground, two-second self-timer

TASMANIAN DEVIL
Sarcophilus harrisii

Devils can raise up to four young at a time. This mother has chosen to establish her new family under this residential property. Here, the boldest devil we named Benjamin, ventures out ahead of his siblings. Being very resourceful, adaptable creatures, devils can be found in most environments across Tasmania.

Ridgeway, Tasmania

Sony A7RIV, Sony 16–35mm GM, 1/250, f/13, ISO 320, Camtraptions camera housing, Camtraptions PIR sensor, Sony Commander and 3 x Sony wireless flashes

LONG-NOSED DRAGON
Gowidon longirostris

A long-nosed dragon sleeps on wire mesh outside a building at a remote gold mining operation in the Great Sandy Desert. This lizard may have positioned itself in such a way that the insects attracted to the light above may be an easy meal at sunrise the next day.

Telfer, Western Australia

Nikon D850, Nikkor 16–35mm f/4, 1/60, f/4, ISO 1250, Nikon SB-700 with soft box, Godox remote flash trigger, handheld

WOYLIE
Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi

Despite the decimated population and range of the critically-endangered woylie, some have become habituated around campgrounds and scavenge for any morsels left behind by campers. After observing one approach our campsite during dinner, I set up a motion-triggered camera beside the fire pit where our dinner crumbs had been thrown.

Dryandra Woodland National Park, Western Australia

Canon 5D Mk III, Canon EF 40mm f/2.8, 1/160, f/9.0, ISO 2000, 3 x Nikon SB-28 flashes, Sirui tripod, Camtraptions PIR sensor and radio triggers, softbox for light diffusion

GIANT SHOVELNOSE RAY
Glaucostegus typus

DASYATID STINGRAY Family Dasyatidae

Rhino rays are now classified as one of the most threatened groups of marine fishes, and encounters are very rare. Heron Island is still a stronghold for multiple ray species which aggregate in the shallow waters. Here, I encountered multiple giant guitarfish and other rays aggregating together; truly amazing! Heron Island, Queensland

Canon 5DsR, Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM lens, 1/320, f/14.0, ISO 320

LACEWING EGGS
Neuroptera

Lacewings are a group of insects that lay beautiful, pearly white eggs atop a shimmering stalk. Around homes, they often lay their eggs on wooden doorframes, but sometimes they lay them elsewhere, like on the ol’ clothes peg. In good news, these eggs all successfully hatched!

Bensville, New South Wales

Canon 1DX Mk II, Tamron 90mm macro, 1/640, f/8, ISO 1250