Joan McGowan sent me a photo of a caterpillar she has in her garden in Florida (but which occurs widely in eastern N. America) that has been eating her exotic penta plants that are good for attracting butterflies that […]
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While dip-netting in a FL canal I came across one of the most interesting and beautiful fish in freshwater, the bluespotted sunfish, Enneacanthus glorious (see photo). This fish is well named since the adult males are covered with brilliant […]
As I was returning from a visit to the Alva, FL, area where there are a number of interesting Lee County nature parks I was startled to see two crested caracaras (a federally threatened falcon) walking around in someone’s […]
While the weather remains somewhat less than ideal in VA/NC you folks up North are starting to see some really nice birds and are beginning to experience early Spring in a way that is beginning to excite my envy. […]
I am always interested in ways to avoid using pesticides and to instead utilize natural methods of biological control. Well in Florida we have plenty of pest insects and it is hard to avoid spraying them occasionally. However I […]
I noticed today that a large Jimson weed ( Datura or angel’s trumpet) plant in our field was infested with eastern leaf-footed bugs ( Leptoglossus phyllopus) – see photo attached. Several things about this were interesting- Jimson weed is […]
I first have a photographic record of a white ibis I named “Stumpy” on Nov. 10, 2007. It had a broken right leg that was twisted and extended forward in an awkward position and hopped on its one good […]
This seems to be an unusually good year for great horned owls near our house in Englewood, FL. There is a pair using an osprey nest directly over our house up 50 feet in the top of a Norfolk Island […]
I know all of you Eskimos up North are having fun with Winter sports in the ice and snow but just to let you know what is coming your way in another 2-3 months I thought I would send […]
I have undoubtedly commented before on the importance of fresh new discoveries to add excitement to our daily explorations in nature. Of course these do not happen at a grand scale every day, but there is also always something […]
I imagine most of you are familiar with the Jack-in-the-pulpit which is a not uncommon wildflower in wet woods of eastern North America. However I doubt if any of you have encountered this interesting member of the arum family […]
One aspect of natural history that fascinates me is the hidden lives that many species of animals lead right under our noses. For example out in your yard there are literally dozens of sizable critters that you do not […]
There can sometimes be great drama in the lives of birds as well as humans, as we have been observing a pair of ospreys and their tormentors, a pair of great horned owls. We have not directly observed all […]
If you get out and hike in the local parks where wood chips and mulch are placed on the trails, you might have noticed a very interesting and highly odoriferous fungus, the octopus stinkhorn (Clathrus columnatus). The attached photos […]
One of the many perks of wintering in FL is that we get to watch birds up close and personal that we are familiar with, but at some distance up north. For example how often do you get to […]
On a recent walk at Myakka State Forest I was pleased to come across a large patch of small butterworts, Pinguicula pumila, some of which were in bloom. The delicate bluish flowers are a delight, especially in the middle […]
I came across an old acquaintance today while walking near Arcadia,FL, the bagworm. This curious caterpillar of a moth with an unpronounceable name, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis , has a very strange habit that makes it very distinctive and easy to identify. […]
While on a walk at Amberjack Preserve in SW FL we noticed an interesting phenomenon – a mating pair of walkingsticks. This appears to be the large two striped walkingstick, but there are northerly species also. This cousin of […]
If you travel or live in southern states or in California you will have noticed the exotic oleander plant (dogbane family) which is widely planted for its beautiful flowers and attractive foliage. It is used a lot due to […]
On a nature walk this morning at Stump Pass State Park in Englewood, FL, our group came across two caterpillars of the Io moth (see attached photo). At this stage they are a striking light green, with a red […]