The Giant Water Bug predates on small wetland invertebrates such as tadpoles, spiders and dragonfly larvae with its needle pointed forearms and piercing mouthparts (rostrum). They often have showy colours and descriptive names like Aurora Bluetail, Common Flatwing, Australian Emperor, Scarlet Percher, Fiery Skimmer and Graphic Flutterer. Dragonflies and damselflies are like the raptors of the insect world, acrobatically taking prey on the wing. It is capable of taking large prey items, with its needle pointed forearms and powerful rostrum, including frogs and their tadpoles. One of the most impressive is the Giant Water Bug, measuring up to 70mm in length. Some species like the Wallum Sedgefrog, Wallum Rocketfrog and Wallum Froglet are specialised for life in the acidic waters of coastal lowland wetlands.įilled ephemeral wetlands quickly become breeding and foraging habitat for dragonflies, damselflies, water beetles, water bugs and many other invertebrates. The species mix of a particular wetland is usually dependent on the elevation, vegetation and pH of the water. The male Graceful Treefrog (Litoria gracilenta) often calls from a vantage point within the vegetation around a wetland. The Striped Rocketfrog and Green-thighed Frog tend to call from the water’s edge or on floating debris. Treefrogs like the Graceful Treefrog, Laughing Treefrog and Eastern Sedgefrog call from vantage points on vegetation, while burrowing frogs including the Ornate Burrowing Frog and Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk call from the water surface. It can be quite an event to experience male frogs of various species calling simultaneously to attract mates. They emerge from underground burrows, tree hollows and other places of refuge in which they sought shelter. In south-east Queensland it is generally late spring or summer rains that fill these wetlands, triggering breeding events for frogs, which thrive in wet and warm conditions. The native vegetation within ephemeral wetlands tends to be tolerant of flooding and drying, although aquatic plants that flourish in wetter periods die off without water with some species surviving in the seed bank until water returns.

Periods of drying limit the ability of fish to establish and therefore create ideal breeding habitats for frogs and invertebrates with the reduced competition and predation. Spotless Crakes take advantage of the invertebrates that abound in ephemeral wetlands, especially when there are exposed muddy edges.īy their very nature, ephemeral wetlands are highly dynamic ecosystems with rising and falling water levels creating feeding and breeding opportunities for a diverse variety of fauna.

Ephemeral pond