Friday, September 11, 2026

September 11, 2026

This plant is known as Giant Orchid
You can find it in south-eastern US and Cuba
In prairies, flatwoods and oak scrub
But definatly not in Tsukuba. 
 
Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://georgiabiodiversity.org/portal/profile?group=all&es_id=18632

Photo  © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

September 10, 2026

I am a type of a Crab Spider
I have a short, wide, flat body
My front legs are longer than my back legs
Which helps me catch prey, but doesn't help with Karate.

Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Thomisidae/

Photo © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

September 9, 2026

Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

I am known as a Green Lynx spider
I am harmless to humans but eat lots of insects
In fact I have potential to be used in pest management
Where could be paid in the bugs I ingest!

(However, as noted in the linked article, Green Lynx also eat beneficial pollinators such as bees, as well as some wasps that also eat crop pests. But, to quote the article, "The use of lynx spiders in the control of crop pests will depend in a large part on when, where, on what crops, and for the control of what pests they are to be used. Their use in Florida for the control of pests of soybeans and peanuts may be feasible.")

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN521

Photo  © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

September 8, 2026

I am known as a Pseudoscorpion
You might think I'm a Scorpion, but you'd be wrong
I'm more like a spider, you can see my pedipalps
And there's no stinging tail, I could wear a thong.

Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1944&context=extension_curall

Photo  © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Monday, September 7, 2026

September 7, 2026

This plan is Tall Hydrolea
Also known as Skyflower
It grows quite well in a marsh or a ditch
And looking pretty is it's superpower!

Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/AG397

Photo © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

September 6, 2026

This is a plant called Pine Lily
It is from a large and complex plant family
The family includes Asparagus and Sarsaparilla
And Aloe, which can be used medicinally. 

Thanks to today's very special guest photographer, Jill Cozza!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources:  https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=lica4

Photo © 2026 Jill Cozza 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.

Saturday, September 5, 2026

September 5, 2026

I am a Great Southern White Butterfly
When I was young I ate cabbage and kale
Technically they are cultivars of the same species
But cabbage is tasty and kale's a big FAIL. 

(Ok, this might be an opinion here. The caterpillars of the Great Southern White eat both cabbage and kale, but I assume Great Southern White caterpillars do not have taste buds as kale is super gross, and cabbage adds a nice crunch to burritos and casseroles.)

Location: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Blackpoint Drive

Sources: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/kale-vs-cabbage-comparing-two-great-brassicas/

https://plowingthroughlife.com/hamburger-cabbage-casserole/

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.