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This tiny fella was observed at the top of a 5mm diameter bamboo stick. (The cut section is also exactly 5mm down from the top).
I observed the spider lifting one of its 3rd pair of legs (rhs) in the air and wave it around once. It was then I went & grabbed the camera. Sadly he refused to face the camera lens head-on. 😔 I thanked him for his time anyway.

In memory of Victor Fazio III

Gross's Exocarpos Bug (Aplerotus grossi)

I'm not totally sure, but I think this is the only A. grossi we have.

I think that the last paper in 1985 that differentiates A. grossi & A. maculatus exaggerates how different the external morphological differences between these are. Either that or there are way more species than expected. As I stated earlier, I haven't been able to separate them (iNat speciemens) by colour/patterns.
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/177792165
And I think the labrium length is variable and the difference between the two species is very small. I'm now posting several species under the 2 names as a comparision to show people what I think. As always, could be wrong, so interested in your thoughts and happy if these have to get to go to genus level.
To me the most distinctive difference is the face shield "anterolateral margins of the paraclypei strongly convex" However, I suspect that what stands out in photo's more is the separation of the two shields. Looking down the middle you'll notice this one & Mark's are quite separated. On A. maculatus they are just about touching.
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/42805740

I'm not sure if the paraclypei look more convex/larger here because of the coloured edging.

Clicking on the tag shows all 3
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?q=178299267&search_on=tags

Cheers

Brett

Extraordinary movement of the natural world ... only a couple of blooms open on this Daviesia and yet here was the spider lying in wait. How did it know to go to the top of the plant where the flowers were open, where did it come from?

Gasteruptiidae.

Holotype female of Gasteruption youngi.

“S. AUST. Wirrabara Forest, Sweeping, 7.iv.2007 J.T. Jennings.”

Reference: Jennings, J.T. & Parslow, B. 2014, Gasteruption youngi, sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea: Gasteruptiidae) from South Australia; a species with unusual setose ovipositor sheaths. Zootaxa 3872 (1), 95–100.

drumming with laminate antennae (?) on the plant stem then wings up and backing its abdomen into the leaf axil. Touching over leaf axil with antennae. Really small individual, lots more photos but they're much the same as these