Hiking from HID 2014 to Long Pine Key via gate 2B and then exploring the finger glade west of the campground hoping to find Asclepias longifolia
I worked in the Hole-in-the-Donut doing plant monitoring with Steve on the 27th and 28th and decided to stay in the park overnight so I could blacklight and explore LPK a bit before our second workday.
My blacklighting observations from HID 2014:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2024-01-27&place_id=any&project_id=blacklighting-florida&user_id=joemdo
All of my observations from both days:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?d1=2024-01-27&d2=2024-01-28&order=asc&place_id=any&preferred_place_id=127553&user_id=joemdo
More info about the Hole-in-the Donut restoration area:
https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/hidprogram.htm
Small shrub to 60 cm.
These are all just under the water's surface in a cypress dome in eastern Orlando. It blankets most of the ground when the water is below the surface this time of year.
On shell of Common Snapping Turtle https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/109175060
playing with some bark
In ambush position under a juniper. Some odd stuff under it. I can see rodent nests in the skulls. A nice little spot for a rattler!
See photo
Me being a voyeur freaked them out after a while but this certainly seemed like a drunken orgy at first.
Surprised to find this
A good number of young C. viridifasciata jumping underfoot, and showing their color variations:
Here the pinkest I have ever observed.
There, in brown:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39801063
And there, in green:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39801029
Driving north on Northstar Blvd, the bird was observed flying very low across the road towards the east... also observed by my son.
Save the Best for Last today - @sea-kangaroo and myself guided into Kameamea Lady habitat by folks working on the genetics of this elusive butterfly. Only one of two endemics to the Islands. Will put out mashed banana bait to lure them in. Warm sun turned to torrential rains. Didn't see the Vanessa, BUT saw the other endemic. The Greenish Bluet or Blackburn's Blue. A blue butterfly that is green. Read about this creature for decades. Insane thrill to finally see it. This is the only shot I managed to take of it. It'll do. :)
Hanging out on a large elephant ear leaf
Day 82, one individual.
Relacionado con // Related to:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667158
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667199
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2667420
"Why is that bee eating another bee? Oh, wait..."
Also, this beast was huge!
Sunbathing and looking kind of odd. :-)
Somewhat large population on edge of cotton field, pollen grains huge, see photo
Found indoors, put back outside.
Parc National de Frontenac-Lac à la Barbue
Growing on a south facing slope, right off the freeway exit, flanked by lots of invasive mullein and scotch broom
Male Promachus bastardii
I could hear these guys all over buzzing around before I saw them.
It appears mid to late June (look at "Date observed" column) is a great time for this species locally:
shorturl.at/irszU (a iNaturalist URL shortened).
Turtle Pond
Male Megaphasma denticrus
I saw this creature crawling up a mesquite tree (I think...) and instantly froze. I could not believe how big it was and how fast it was moving.
I quickly disengaged my camera from the tripod and attempted to get a full body shot. As I got closer it quickly became apparent that he was well aware of and uncomfortable with my proximity.
For reference I tried to put my thumb near him and get a shot but he jumped and then scurried farther. Despite not wanting to interrupt him more I decided to catch him and take some closer shots. I tried to gently coax him off the tree but his grip was extremely impressive and I almost abandoned my attempt because I was afraid one of our arms might break off.
In the end, obviously, I succeeded, otherwise I'd be too embarrassed to post this, and I took some crappy reference shots with my phone and then tried to put him back in a relevant place.
Anax junius exuviae
Masses of A. junius (and less probably, a few A. longipes) exuviae.
I estimated there must have been at least 500 easily visible Anax sp. exuviae on the route I walked.
There were more in adjacent vegetation that was out of/farther away from the ponds' edges but I did not search for or count them.
Very cool to see. Obviously they didn't all come out on one day but I would like to go one morning and see, even if just a handful were emerging at once/readily visible.
I'm extremely curious how many/what general percentages are predated. The site chosen for ecdysis ranged from dense brush to dead twigs directly in the open, as seen here.
Male Celithemis eponina
Another one of my all-time favorite species.
Quickly released. Pictures taken as we were unhooking and putting it back.
Obviously was once someone's pet. :(
I am 6 feet from finger tip to finger tip. Big fish!