Garden Club News
Every Tuesday recess we have Gardening club with Miss Shellie and Sue. They teach us about the amazing world of plants, for example how beans climb up the posts that we put in the garden beds.
My favourite is definitely the indigenous plants - it's amazing because we plant only the native ones as they attract leafcutter and blue banded bees and other insects.
I love millipedes.
Most millipedes are beneficial in the garden, they help improve the soil by feeding on organic matter, however, some turn to feeding on plants.
The running postman
This week the plants have been thriving. I think the most beautiful running postman Is a dog behind it? The Running Postman (Kennedia prostrata) is one of the delights of the bush. It's bright red and yellow. and I think they are named after the uniform of postmen from a bygone era. The other lesser used name for it is 'Bacon and Eggplant' for some reason.
Springtail possum
The Eastern Ringtail Possum is well known to many Sydney residents and across Eastern Australia. Together with the Common Brushtail Possum, it has adapted well to living in close association with humans and is often seen in suburban gardens at night.
Identification
About the size of a cat, the Eastern Ringtail Possum is grey with white patches behind the eyes and on the belly, and orange-brown tinges on the tail and limbs. Its long prehensile tail has a white tip and it uses it like a fifth limb to climb and jump between connecting branches, fences and powerlines. The structure of its forefeet, with a gap between the second and third fingers, allows the possum to hold onto branches securely.
Sometimes people mistake Black Rats for Ringtail Possums. Some characteristics that help to distinguish the Eastern Ringtail Possum from the Black Rat include:
- Front teeth: Three pairs of upper incisors, one pair of lower incisors.
- Head: Rounded head with slightly bulging eyes.
- Ears: Short rounded ears with white patch behind.
- Colouring: Variable grey to near-black back, sometimes tinged red-orange, white to red-orange below; red-orange legs.
- Tail: Tapering prehensile tail with a white tip, naked underside, furred above. Carried in coil when not used.
Similar species
It’s Sometimes confused with the Black Rat.
Habitat
Almost exclusively tree-dwelling, the Eastern Ringtail Possum lives in forests, woodlands, rainforests, dense scrub and suburban gardens. During the day, the Eastern Ringtail Possum sleeps in its spherical nest or 'drey' made from grass and shredded bark. It builds the drey in a tree hole, tree fork or dense vegetation, and several individuals may share the one nest.
Distribution
The Eastern Ringtail Possum is predominantly found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
