Invertebrates all over

This is a somewhat delayed post covering a range of invertebrates we have seen recently.  

The first example is a leaf beetle (I think Paropsisterna octolineata) initially  found on Bastion Beach just above the high water mark.  In view of the black-red pattern I initially called it the Bomber Beetle in recognition of the Essendon Football Club.

I have no idea what a leaf beetle was doing on a sandy beach relatively far from any leaves but assume it had been blown there by the frisky winds we have recently experienced.

A couple of days later we were at the Gun Club Heath looking for orchids (we found a good lot of Horned Orchids, all fertilised) and found another example clinging to a grass stalk.  As noted on Brisbane Insects "It did not try to escape from our disturb, not fly away nor drop to ground as other leaf beetles often do."

There was also a single specimen of Paropsis atomaria in the vicinity.  This is a common species in the area and I have seen t many times this year.

Reverting to our visit to the beach, there were also quite a few other beetles on the sand.

I think this is  what has been identified on iNaturalist.org as Subtribe Lagriina.  Thus far no-one has been game to go below that level.  Again I assume the insects have been blown out of the bush.

We were primarily looking for birds (hardly any about, probably as a result of the large number of bathers and fisherpersons in the area) so left the beach and explored the sandbars.  The most interesting sighting was a congregation of crabs lining a residual pool of water.  They were very active, seeming to be more interested in fighting each other than mating.  After posting these images - the crabs were underwater when snapped - on iNaturalist they have been identified as Carcenas maenas, European Green Crab.

The Museum Victoria Field Guide  "Crabs, hermit crabs and allies" comments that it is an introduced species first recorded in Port Phillip Bay in 1900 and more recently spread to areas including Mallacoota Inlet.