Opening Strawflower Bud

If you've been following my photography for a while, you will know how much I LOVE taking these "top-down" macro shots of buds, and I had such fun taking close-ups of these amazing Strawflowers!

More about this flower fromFrom Wiki:
The brightly coloured bracts act as petals to attract insects such as hoverflies, native bees and small beetles that pollinate the florets. Grasshoppers also visit the flower heads. The caterpillars of Tebenna micalis have been recorded on this species, as have those of the Australian painted lady (Vanessa kershawi). The tiny fruits are dispersed by wind, and germinate and grow after fire or on disturbed ground. Experimentation at the Waite Institute of the University of Adelaide showed that flower production was related to increasing day length, and in general, plants produced the most flowers from December to March. Varying planting times or artificially changing light levels might be ways to increase production of flowers outside these months.