Since last week’s forays, which were that bit further away, proved to be pretty successful my motivation to get out to the local spots was a little lacking. This afternoon however, after wrapping up for the week of sitting at a computer for work, I made the effort to have a mooch round the Capel Nature Reserve. Really not expecting to see too much, as none of the promised rain over the last few weeks has materialised and it is all getting very dry. I spent over and hour and a half, spotting a few repeat finds and not a lot else to show for it:
It was however exciting to spot my second ever Diamond Spider Orchid (Caladenia rhomboidiformis), so while a repeat find for this season I felt the need to share it. I mentioned last time how it was part of the Clubbed Spider Orchids. It was not given that status however until 1889, having formerly in 1971 been considered one of the Green Comb Spider Orchids. After a bit more looking into things, I noted there have been no sightings of this species reported round or anywhere near Capel on the community scientist forums:
A few being much further south and inland, but most being way to the west. I should probably be loading all my more unusual finds on these forums, but would rather spend the time researching and writing them up here. Between that and work I no doubt spend way too much time already hunched over a keyboard. One last fact about this little gem before I move on. The species name of rhomboidiformis is formed from an ancient Greek word, suffix, and Latin word. Rhombus, oid, and forma meaning rhombus, likeness, and shape:
Which put together refers to the diamond-shaped labellum. Above is a male Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster) on a Sandplain White Spider Orchid (Caladenia speciose). Being distinctly different from the larger, whiter, and more bulbous female, a specimen of which I stumbled across at Crooked Brook last year https://sandbagged.blog/2025/11/28/the-right-place/. I was taking this image to capture the split fringes, which is a good way to identify this White Spider Orchid. Instead getting distracted by the Milky Flower Spider:
Above after seeing lots of buds oh so close to opening up I have finally found a true Sun Orchid in bloom, and only this one plant. Being a Shy Sun Orchid (Thelymitra graminea), called shy because the flowers often stay closed even on glorious sunny and warm days like today. Rather than opening wide like other Sun Orchids. No doubt as this weather continues more species of Sun Orchids will come out, and I’ll get bogged down trying to work out the small details to tell them apart. But not today:
