May 5, 2026

I am a female Halloween Pennant

You can tell cause my wings are yellow

My mate is a brighter orange and stays

Attached when I lay eggs, clingy fellow!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_pennant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween_pennant#/media/File:Celithemis_eponina-mating.jpg

Photo and text © 2026 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.

May 4, 2026

I'm an adult Western Palm Warbler

If I was born east of Hudson Bay you could tell -

I would be much brighter yellow on my underparts

And I'd have yellow eyebrows as well.

Location: Wolf Branch Nature Preserve, Apollo Beach, FL

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler/id

Photo and text © 2026 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.

May 3, 2026

I'm an adult male Prairie Warbler

Cornell Lab refers to me as "dapper"

I take that as a compliment but feel a bit bad - 

My wife and kids are much drabber.

Location: Wolf Branch Creek Nature Preserve, Apollo Beach, FL

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Prairie_Warbler/id

Photo and text © 2026 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.

May 2, 2026

I am known as Trogoderma anthrenoides
Adult females do not require food
My reproduction depends on the weather - 
If its 27.5 C, I'll lay the largest brood.

Location: Dickman Rd, Apollo Beach, FL

Sources: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-entomological-research/article/abs/effect-of-temperature-and-humidity-on-trogoderma-anthrenoides-sharpcoleoptera-dermestidae-and-comparisons-with-related-species/8266492B89AF2240E95768AB10BBB2DF

Photo and text © 2026 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.

May 1, 2026

This plant is Prickly Sowthistle

Its pointy leaves are blueish green

The flowers are yellow

And they resemble

Dandelions that you have seen.

Location: Wolf Branch Creek Nature Preserve, Apollo Beach, FL

Sources: https://southwestdesertflora.com/WebsiteFolders/All_Species/Asteraceae/Sonchus%20asper,%20Spiny%20Sowthistle.html

Photo and text © 2026 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.

April 30, 2026

These are the seeds of the Rosary Pea

They contain the deadly poison Abrin

Although they are often made into beads

Beauty's not worth the danger within. 

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/abrus-precatorius

Photo and text © 2026 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.

April 29, 2026

This is Lantana camara

It's bark can be used to treat leprosy

But it's considered an invasive exotic

So saying it can do good might be called heresy.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://botany.biology.ufl.edu/news/2013/lantana-camara-lantana/

Photo and text © 2026 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.