July 31, 2017

Location: Vero Beach, Environmental Learning Center

I am still a Coontie Hairstreak caterpillar,
I'm starting to form a chrysalis.
Technically, I'm starting to digest myself,
It's basic science, I'm not just a nihilist.

Welcome to day 4 of my special series on the lifecycle of the Cootie Hairstreak butterfly.

Sources: Scientific American - How Does a Caterpillar Turn into a Butterfly?

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 30, 2017

Location: Vero Beach, Environmental Learning Center

I am an Atala caterpillar,
But I might look a little strange.
My spots are starting to disappear,
My body is starting change...

Welcome to day 3 of my special series on the lifecycle of the Cootie Hairstreak butterfly.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 29, 2017

Location: Vero Beach, Environmental Learning Center

I am a young Atala caterpillar,
I'm eating a plant called the Coontie.
In fact, it's the only thing that I'll ever eat,
Good thing it tastes so yummy to me!

Welcome to day 2 of my special series on the lifecycle of the Cootie Hairstreak butterfly.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 28, 2017

Location: Vero Beach, Environmental Learning Center

These are the eggs of the Coontie Hairstreak,
And the Coontie plant to which they are attached.
Right now they are tiny and white,
But stay tuned to see what happens when they hatch!

Welcome to a special series on the lifecycle of the Coontie Hairstreak butterfly. For the next six days, I will be showing this beautiful butterfly from an egg all the way to an adult. Enjoy!

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 27, 2017

Location: Vierra Wetlands

I'm an American Bittern,
I like to pose so that you can't see me.
With my brown and white stripes, I blend in so well,
I disappear just like Houdini.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 26, 2017

Location: Port St. Lucie, Whispering Pines Park

I'm a Northern Curly-tailed Lizard,
Florida is not my native land.
In 1940, I was brought here to combat sugar cane pests,
From my home in the Bahamian islands.

Sources: FFWCC - Nonnatives - Northern Curly-tailed Lizard

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 25, 2017

Location: Port St. Lucie, Whispering Pines Park

I am a tiny Pyrausta tyralis,
A.K.A, the Coffee-Loving Pyrausta Moth.
My larvae feed on Psychotria nervosa,
My wings are brick red with yellow marks across.

Sources: iNaturalist.org, Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth


Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 24, 2017

Location: Port St. Lucie, Whispering Pines Park

I'm a Florida Burrowing Owl,
I live in a hole in the ground.
To feed my babies, I attract bugs to the outside of my home,
By spreading poop all around.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Burrowing Owls

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 23, 2017

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

I'm known as a Ring-billed Gull,
Due to the black ring around my bill.
I'm common inland as well as the beach,
And I'm known to dine at Chez Landfill.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Ring-billed Gull

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 22, 2017

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

I'm known as a Laughing Gull,
I usually live close to the beach,
I change my appearance throughout my life,
And my call is a laughing-like screech.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Laughing Gull

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 21, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, Goodwin WMA

I'm an immature Black Vulture,
You can tell by the white down on my head.
When I'm adult the feathers will fall out,
To keep my head tidy when I'm eating the dead. 

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 20, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, my screen porch

I'm an Anisomorpha buprestoides,
A.K.A, "Two-striped Walking Stick"
I can shoot stinky goo right into your eye,
That will feel like acid sulphuric.

(Note: I had the camera between me and the bug, I do not recommend getting this close, the stuff they shoot will hurt very bad, and they actually know now to aim.)

Sources: UF/IFAS Featured Creatures: Two-striped Walking Stick

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 19, 2017

Location: Sebastian Inlet State Park

I'm a Blue-grey Gnatcatcher,
I'm mostly blue-grey with white on my breast.
I like to steal food from spider webs,
I also steal their webbing to make my nest.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 18, 2017

Location: Leesburg, Venetian Gardens

These are exotic Apple Snail eggs,
They look kinda like bubble gum.
These Apple Snails devour macrophytes
And cause the algae to which our water plants succomb.

Sources:

• Natural Resource Management - Island Apple Snail
• Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force - Apple Snails

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 17, 2017

Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

I'm an Eastern Hognose Snake,
I like to eat critters, such as frogs.
I hate it when people take pictures of me
With my mouthful and post them on blogs!

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 16, 2017

Location: Sebastian Inlet

I'm known as a Royal Tern,
I suffer from male-pattern baldness.
I'm known to poop on the edge of my nest,
To reinforce it, but I get your appalledness.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Royal Tern

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 15, 2017

Location: Cape Cod, Massachusetts

I'm an adult breeding Least Tern,
My black cap when I'm breeding is quite distinct.
Unfortunately, I like to nest on beaches,
Which is helping me become extinct.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Least Tern

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 14, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

I'm known as a White-tailed Deer,
I like to hang out in the forest.
I can jump high, but I can't quite fly,
So I just dance to the birds dawn chorus.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 13, 2017

Location: Matanzas Inlet

I am known as a House Wren,
I'm mostly tan with a curved black beak.
In summer I sing happy songs while hopping along,
But in winter I'm much more discrete.

Sources: Cornell Lab - House Wren

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 12, 2017

Location: Fellsmere, my house

I am a female Eastern Pondhawk,
A type of Dragonfly.
I like to eat other insects,
Which I catch using spines on my thighs.

Sources: Bug Guide - Erythemis simplicicollis - Eastern Pondhawk

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 11, 2017

Location: Titusville, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

I am an adult Wood Stork,
Affectionately known as an "Iron Head"
My survival is highly dependent upon
Feeding at a specific water depth.

Sources: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Wood Stork

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 10, 2017

Location: Location

I'm a Lubber Grasshopper,
I plunder gardens like Attila the Hun.
Loggerhead Shrikes are my only predator,
They impale me and leave me to bake in the sun.

(Leaving the Lubber to bake in the sun for a few days degrades the toxin to the point where the Lubber becomes edible to the Shrike.)

Sources: UF/IFAS Featured Creatures - Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 9, 2017

Location: Titusville, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge

I'm a female Red-breasted Merganser,
I dive under water to catch my prey.
Crustaceans, insects, and tadpoles
Comprise my dinner buffet.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Red-breasted Merganser

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 8, 2017

Location: Lakeland, Mirror Lake

I'm known as a Lesser Scaup,
My bill has a black tip but is mostly blue.
My body has black ends with white in the middle,
I look a like a floating saddle shoe.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Lesser Scaup

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 7, 2017

Location: Lakeland, Lake Mirror

I'm known as a Shelduck,
Size-wise, I'm halfway between ducks and geese.
Although I'm larger than a duck,
I'm just big-boned, I'm not obese.

Sources: Royal Society for Protection of Birds - Shelduck

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 6, 2017

Location: Lakeland, Lake Mirror

I am a female Mallard duck,
My mate has has a bright green head.
You will often find us in city parks,
Its not good for us, please stop feeding us bread!

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 5, 2017

Location: Lakeland, Lake Mirror

We are known as Mandarin Ducks,
We are native to China and Japan.
We are closely related to the Wood Duck,
Who is more familiar to Americans.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 4, 2017

Location: Lakeland, Lake Mirror

I'm known as a Ring-necked Duck,
Though the ring on my neck is hard to see.
It's much easier to see the white ring on my bill,
And my small orange eye that's kind of creepy.

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 3, 2017

Location: Viera, Viera Wetlands

I'm known as a Pied-bill Grebe,
I'm small and chunky and have almost no tail.
I float very low in the water,
And look like a rowboat whose hull is starting to fail!

Sources: Cornell Lab - Pied-bill Grebe

(Disclaimer: Due to a minor hand issue I've not been able to use my camera so am posting some older pictures that I haven't included before on this blog.  I will resume my regular 8:00 am postings soon, but for now, please enjoy these blasts from the past.) 

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 2, 2017

Location: Sebastian, Publix parking lot

I'm known as a Crested Caracara,
Mexican Eagle is my colloquial name.
I belong to the Falcon family,
I eat meat including carrion and small game.

Sources: Cornell Lab - Crested Caracara

(Disclaimer: Due to a minor hand issue I've not been able to use my camera so am posting some older pictures that I haven't included before on this blog.  I will resume my regular 8:00 am postings soon, but for now, please enjoy these blasts from the past.) 

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 1, 2017

Location: Pelican Island NWR

I'm a Great Southern White Butterfly,
I like to drink nectar from Saltwort and Lantana.
You can find me throughout the southern US,
But you won't see me in Indiana.

Sources: Birds and Moths of North America

Bonus: I had already written and pre-posted this entry, but I did get out shooting at 8 a.m. for the first time in weeks this morning. Check out my blog for some amazing pictures of the entire lifecycle of another butterfly, the Coontie Hairstreak.


(Disclaimer: Due to a minor hand issue I've not been able to use my camera so am posting some older pictures that I haven't included before on this blog.  I will resume my regular 8:00 am postings soon, but for now, please enjoy these blasts from the past.) 

Photo and text © 2017 Dee Fairbanks Simpson