an aussie battler

November 2005: this boree tree on Bundure Station (next to the irrigation area) has lost a branch but looks reasonably upright. The fence is festooned with blow grass which grew following the spring rain that year, then got blown away.

and by March 2007 it looks like this, leafier but leaning over the fence a little.

May 2009 and it looks like the Boree tree is on its last legs, not a leaf to be seen but..

having a closer look I find the reason for the leaflessness is this bag moth (boree moth) - the caterpillars live comunally in a silk bag when they aren't eating every leaf on the tree. This tree actually has some new green leaves appearing. I hope it gets some rain to help it recover from this attack and the caterpillars have finished eating leaves.Campers and picnickers should not use the shade of a boree that has bag moth caterpillars in residence - they shed hairs that can pierce the skin and cause severe pain.