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I have always been fascinated by small things. Whether it is watching tiny ants at work or playing with miniature dolls and furniture, small scale has always felt magical to me. Macro photography had always intrigued me, but I never really tried it until August 2024.
That year, I had the chance to spend several months near Cairns, Queensland, Australia, for an artist residency at the Tanks Art Centre, right in the heart of the Cairns Botanic Gardens. From my first visit, I was captivated by the garden’s unique atmosphere: lush, exotic, and teeming with typical Australian wildlife.
While looking for inspiration for my residency, I discovered Bridgette, a photographer who specializes in macro photography. Thanks to her tours of the Botanic Garden, I got to try my first macro camera. And that is when I was truly amazed! Every new insect I came across, with its tiny details hidden from the naked eye, still fascinates me.
In this article, I want to share with you some of the small creatures I photographed in this Botanic Gardens.
One of my little favorites in Australia! The White-lipped Tree Frog (Litoria infrafrenata) is the largest tree frog in the world, reaching up to 14 cm (5.5 inches)! With their incredible bright green color, they are impossible to miss… well, except when they blend perfectly into the foliage. I love their curious expressions—they almost look like they are striking a pose.
These frogs are nocturnal and stay in warm, humid environments, which is why they are so common in the tropical north of Queensland. They are easy to recognize thanks to their distinctive white stripe running along their lower lip and their large golden eyes. They also have a loud, deep call, especially before it rains.
If you would like to spot them, the Cairns Botanic Gardens is a great place to look—but honestly, they turn up just about anywhere… Even in the most unexpected places, like my outdoor shower in Machans Beach, where a few decided to move in. Definitely an interesting surprise every time I turned on the water!
The Lichen Huntsman Spider (Pandercetes gracilis) is truly fascinating! This spider is a master of disguise, blending seamlessly into the trunks of trees or bamboo with its varied colors and abundance of fine hairs. During the day, it is very difficult impossible to spot, as it perfectly mimics the surrounding bark or lichen. But at night, the game changes. When illuminated by a flashlight, its eyes glow, making it easier to spot.
Here are more insects I encountered during my outings in the Cairns Botanic Garden, both by day and by night.
If you’re as fascinated by these tiny creatures as I am, I invite you to continue your exploration by checking out my article on jumping spiders, those little acrobats with fascinating eyes.
And to follow my discoveries and observations of the local wildlife, feel free to check out my iNaturalist profile, where I regularly share my naturalist explorations.
See you soon in the tiny and wonderful world of macrophotography!
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