Insects - Lord Howe Island fieldwork gallery

A map of Lord Howe Island
 showing the major areas sampled by the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research team.

The pilots of the flight into 
Lord Howe Island took us via spectacular Balls Pyramid, which lies 25 km off the coast of Lord Howe Island.

An aerial view of Lord Howe Island on the way in.  Mount Gower is in the foreground with the peak of Mt Lidgbird just visible behind it.

Paul Flemons double checks the map of Lord Howe Island before deploying the collection teams.

The view looking south to Mt Lidgbird and Mt Gower.

Team 1 does some preliminary sampling and investigation of the fauna at the base of Mt Lidgbird. Michael Elliott wonders what

Gareth Carter collecting leaf litter.

At the research station we set up a light trap for flying insects.  Paul Flemons, Lance Wilkie and Nikki Plunkett-Cole examine the catch.

Paul Flemons sucking up insects into a collection vial at the light trap.  Light traps such as this one use special bulbs.

Gareth Carter at the Goat House on the northern side of Mt Lidgbird.

The Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research team had to move a lot of material to Lord Howe Island to operate.

The view from the top of Mt Gower is definitely worth the effort to get there.

Two Lord Howe Island Woodhens on top of Mt Gower.  The Woodhen was once threatened with extinction, but has recently increased in numbers following a captive breeding program.

Our guide to Mt Gower, Dean Hiscox with Nikki Plunkett-Cole.

The path into the Erskine Valley, and thus Mt Gower, is steep and requires the assistance of a rope handhold.

Jaynia Tarnawski next to some Pandanus.

The team waiting to be picked up from Roach Island.  Roach Island has a very different fauna and flora composition from the main island.

At Little Slope Paul Flemons checks for a satellite lock on his GPS. Michael Elliott wonders what

Nikki Plunkett-Cole sucking invertebrates out of a beating net with a device commonly known as a pooter.

Helen Smith installing a pitfall trap.  Pitfall traps are used to collect the ground dwelling fauna.

Members of Team 2, Heloise Gibb and Tim Moulds get ready for a quick orientation tour with Paul Flemons before beginning their sampling.

Team 2 just before returning home.  From left to right Helen Smith, Heloise Gibb, Rebecca Harris, Gerry Cassis and Tim Moulds.

Chris Reid and Paul Flemons outside the igloo on the top of Mt Gower during their nine night stay. Photo: I Hutton

Because of the remoteness of the site and the danger of accidents, Paul and Chris had to contact the Lord Howe Island Board each day by radio to confirm that they were OK.  Photo: I Hutton

Chris and Paul play chess by torchlight. Photo: I Hutton

The cloud forest of Mt Gower during the day can be quite atmospheric. Photo: I Hutton

Paul and Chris test the use of sieves by checking for specimens. Photo: I Hutton

Louise Meades climbs over the fence of one of the rat excluded plots. Photo: I Hutton

A pitfall trap being removed from the ground.  Note the all important label data attached to the marker.  Without the label data, the information becomes useless. Photo: I Hutton

A river of water rushes past one of the sampling plots.  The intense rain interfered with much of the sampling. Photo: I Hutton

On a few days the sun made an appearance, creating beautiful sunsets.  Photo: G Brown

However, the weather soon closed in again. Photo: G Brown

Measuring the growth of a seedling within the rat exclusion plot. Photo: I Hutton

Tagging a seedling for later identification. Photo: I Hutton

Scott helps Georgie over the fence.  The ladder couldn

Scott was made to carry all the heavy stuff. Photo: I Hutton