December 5, 2025

I am a Ceraunus Blue Butterfly

I'm tiny but not in the least self conscious

Take a close look at how I can curl up

My otherwise very long proboscis!

(In the second picture, notice how is little proboscis is ever so neatly coiled up!)

Location: Osprey Acres Stormwater Park, Vero

Sources: https://askentomologists.com/2016/02/29/on-the-tip-of-the-butterflys-tongue/

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 4, 2025

This plant is Staghorn Clubmoss

It grows in pinelands and wet depressions

It's one of the  world's most common club moss

And it leaves an impressive impression.

(Enlarge the photo, it's s very cool looking plant!)

Location: Osprey Acres Stormwater Park, Vero

Sources: https://floranorthamerica.org/Palhinhaea_cernua

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 3, 2025

This plant is known as Cape Honeysuckle

Although it is beautiful and bright

It is also an invasive exotic -

Instead plant Florida native Trumpet Vine.

Location: Osprey Acres Stormwater Park, Vero

Sources: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/nassauco/2017/07/08/q-can-tell-cape-honeysuckle/

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 2, 2025

I am a type of Lichen Moth, 

In the Lithosiini tribe

I'm in the Genus Agylla

Basically I'm just a cute fuzzy guy.

Location: Quijos, Ecuador

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithosiina

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agylla_(moth)

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

December 1, 2025

I am an Opharus subflavus moth

I am in the Tiger Moth tribe

I have thin tan stripes on my wings

But otherwise, I am mostly white.

Location: Cosanga, Ecuador

Sources: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/247501-Opharus

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

November 30, 2025

I am a caterpillar of a brush-footed butterfly

Posing here with some eggs

I'm in the same family as Monarchs

But right now I've no wings, just legs!

Location: Cosanga, Ecuador

Sources: https://www.butterflyidentification.com/butterflies-of-the-world/butterflies-in-ecuador

https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/taxonomy/Nymphalidae

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

November 29, 2025

I am known as a Phaio acquiguttata

I belong to the Tiger Moth tribe

I've a tymbal organ on my metathorax

Which basically means I talk out of my behind!

Location: Cosanga, Ecuador

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctiinae

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tymbal

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.