Who lives in the tree? #1 - Caples River

We had walked from Scott Creek via Death Valley into Kay Creek, and set up camp next to the Caples River just downstream of Upper Caples Hut. I was just about to go to bed and put my socks out to dry over a branch in a silver beech tree (Nothofagus menziesii). Here, I noticed a lovely green bug. Before I even knew it, I spent the next two hours photographing many more bugs in the same tree. Enjoy!

Click here to see the pictures of our tramping trip. 23 December 2012

Campsite in silver beech (Nothofagus menziesii) forest next to the Caples River. The arrow indicates the tree where all of the following photographs were taken
Beech forest Caples River Caples Track Fauna New Zealand Nothofagus menziesii Otago Tramping camp campsite silver beech tent Scott Death Kay 343b
Large green stonefly (Stenoperla spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Large green stonefly Nothofagus menziesii Stenoperla insect silver beech Scott Death Kay 378a
Large green stonefly (Stenoperla spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.. Detail of head, proto- and mesothorax. Display the picture full size to see the composite eyes!
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Large green stonefly Nothofagus menziesii Stenoperla insect silver beech Scott Death Kay 379a
Large green stonefly (Stenoperla spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Large green stonefly Nothofagus menziesii Stenoperla insect silver beech Scott Death Kay 382a
Large green stonefly (Stenoperla spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Large green stonefly Nothofagus menziesii Stenoperla insect silver beech Scott Death Kay 383a
Female cave wētā / tokoriro (Talitropsis sedilloti). Body length approx 1.5cm. I found about 4 or 5 of these on the tree. Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cave weta insect silver beech weta Death cave wētā wētā tokoriro Talitropsis sedilloti
Female cave wētā / tokoriro (Talitropsis sedilloti). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cave weta insect silver beech weta Death cave wētā wētā tokoriro Talitropsis sedilloti
Female cave wētā / tokoriro (Talitropsis sedilloti). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cave weta insect silver beech weta Death cave wētā wētā tokoriro Talitropsis sedilloti
Female cave wētā / tokoriro (Talitropsis sedilloti). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cave weta insect silver beech weta Death cave wētā wētā tokoriro Talitropsis sedilloti
Female cave wētā / tokoriro (Talitropsis sedilloti). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cave weta insect silver beech weta Death cave wētā wētā tokoriro Talitropsis sedilloti
Sand fly / Namu (Austrosimulium spp.). As usual, we were attacked by a swarm of millions. After dark, they all went to sleep. Where, I still don't know. But I found one on the tree! And I don't need to tell you how small it is... Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Austrosimulium Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii Sandfly insect namu sand fly silver beech Scott Death Kay 393a
Flat-backed millipede (order Polydesmida). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii insect silver beech Death Flatbacked millipede Polydesmida
Triaenonychid harvestmen (Prasma spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii arachnid harvestman laniatore silver beech Scott Death Kay 402a Triaenonychidae triaenonychid harvestmen Triaenonychid harvestman Prasma New Zealand
Triaenonychid harvestmen (Prasma spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii arachnid harvestman laniatore pedipalp pedipalps silver beech Scott Death Kay 402a Triaenonychidae triaenonychid harvestmen Triaenonychid harvestman Prasma New Zealand
Lichen darkling beetle (Artystona obscura). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Artystona Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect lichen darkling beetle silver beech Scott Death Kay Tenebrionidae Artystona obscura
Lichen darkling beetle (Artystona obscura). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Artystona Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect lichen darkling beetle silver beech Scott Death Kay Tenebrionidae Artystona obscura
Lichen darkling beetle (Artystona obscura). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Artystona Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect lichen darkling beetle silver beech Scott Death Kay Tenebrionidae Artystona obscura
Wingless native bush cockroach (Celatoblatta vulgaris). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples Track Celatoblatta Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cockroach insect native bush cockroach silver beech Scott Death Kay Blattodea bush cockroach Celatoblatta vulgaris
Wingless native bush cockroach (Celatoblatta vulgaris). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples Track Celatoblatta Fauna Nothofagus menziesii cockroach insect native bush cockroach silver beech Scott Death Kay Blattodea bush cockroach Celatoblatta vulgaris
Ground beetle (Ctenognathus davidsoni). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle silver beech insect Carabidae Ctenognathus Ctenognathus davidsoni
Ground beetle (Ctenognathus davidsoni). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle silver beech insect Carabidae Ctenognathus Ctenognathus davidsoni
Ground beetle (Ctenognathus davidsoni). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle silver beech insect Carabidae Ctenognathus Ctenognathus davidsoni
Sheetweb spider (Cambridgea sp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Nothofagus menziesii arachnid silver beech spider Fauna sheetweb spider Cambridgea
Chafer beetle (Sericospilus advena). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect scarab beetle silver beech Scarabaeidae Sericospilus Sericospilus advena
Chafer beetle (Sericospilus advena). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect scarab beetle silver beech Scarabaeidae Sericospilus Sericospilus advena
Click beetle (Oxylasma spp.). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii beetle insect silver beech click beetle Elateridae Oxylasma
Crane fly (Leptotarsus viridis). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii crane fly cranefly insect silver beech Leptotarsus viridis
Crane fly (Leptotarsus viridis). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii crane fly cranefly insect silver beech Leptotarsus viridis
Crane fly (Leptotarsus viridis). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii crane fly cranefly insect silver beech Leptotarsus viridis
Crane fly (Leptotarsus viridis). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii crane fly cranefly insect silver beech Leptotarsus viridis
Cobweb spider (Theridion zantholabio). Caples River, Mount Aspiring National Park.
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii arachnid silver beech spider Death Kay Theridion zantholabio cobweb spider
A Spaceweb spider, concealed under its web. Only the legs are visible. The remains of a beetle show what happens if you venture too close...
Caples River Caples Track Fauna Nothofagus menziesii arachnid silver beech spaceweb spider spider Scott Death Kay 409a

Rona Grace
on August 18, 2013
Incredible. Beautiful photography, your passion for both photography and nature just shine through, in all your galleries. Love your work.
Peter Sweetapple
on January 3, 2013
Your centipede? is a millipede (has two pairs of legs per segment after the first three segments (antennae are short but visible in your photo). Longhorn beetle (#8) is a ground beetle (Carabid) and I think the other longhorn beetle is in fact a click beetle (able to jump, by sharply clicking its head backwards, to right itself when on its back). But hey, nice photos.