Ballambar – early summer – season of butterflies

Mid November to late January

The lifestyle for the Gariwerd communities during ballambar:

Bands moved back to the plains taking minimal possessions, e.g. weapons, digging sticks, baskets and cloaks. Stone tools were left behind.
Sweet drinks made from banksias and manna gums with water ribbon cooked and eaten.

For the woodland areas of the Gariwerd, ballambar brings the following:

Plants

Many plants still in flower:
 teatrees, shaggy peas, hop goodenia and guinea flowers in bloom
 banksia, grass trees, blue dampiera and christmas mint bush
 sweet bursaria at flowering peak
 hycathinth, tongue and duck orchids
 Murnong is flowering in heathlands

Some plants in fruit/seeding:
 kangaroo grass seeding
 beard heath has berries
 seed pods of silver wattle open

Birds

Birds active include:
 orioles and white throated warblers calling
 squabbling honeyeaters clamber over the flowering banksias
 kites prey on mice and locusts

Many birds still have young including:
 bee-eater chicks hatch in nesting tunnels
 kookaburras and sacred kingfishers feeding young
 bee-eaters feed on young dragon flies
 pardalote and yellow robin nestlings leave nests

Many birds have post nesting moulting.

Mammals

Pygmy possums have young.
Echidnas seeking ant nests.

Reptiles
Snakes and lizards bask in sun including copperhead snakes and jacky lizards.

Insects

Beetles and moths collect around lights at night.
Butterflies chase each other in the warm sun.
Lacewings hatch.
King crickets in old banksia logs.

For the wetlands areas of the Gariwerd, ballambar means the following:

Plants

Water ribbons in creeks develop flowering spikes.
Nardoo are growing vigorously.
Cumbungi grows in streams and wetlands.

Birds

Grebes build floating grass nests on lakes for second brood.

Reptiles/ Amphibians

Water dragons sit on riverside rocks.

Tadpoles can be seen in ponds.

Insects
Dragonflies and water striders are mating.
Daphnia water fleas develop large egg masses.
Whirligig beetle larvae pupate in muddy cocoons.
Swarms of midges can be seen above ponds.