September 30, 2021

This is a Southern Sandbur,

As plants go, it's kind of a jerk.

Make sure you pick the burrs off of your clothes

Or when you sit down, you'll jump up and twerk.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://www.fs.fed.us/r3/resources/health/invasives/grasses/southernSandbur.shtml#

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 29, 2021

This is Nuttall's Meadowbeauty

It can be pink, yellow or white

It is not endangered in Florida

In other states, we aren't sure of its plight.

(As described in the article linked below,  this plant is currently "rare or questionable" in other southeastern states and needs to be reviewed.)

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.156835/Rhexia_nuttallii

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 28, 2021

This plant is called Trailing Daisy

It grows in a very dense thicket

It's pretty but an invasive exotic

To kill it, grab it by the roots and pick it. 

(To quote the linked article: "Mowing or slashing of wedelia infested areas should be avoided. This may cause the development of new plants. Uproot the weed from the areas where it grows, followed by an application of glyphosate on the infested area. The sites will need to be rechecked to insure that it has been successfully eradicated, and sprays applied to the whole site when any plants are found. Young seedlings and small plants may be hand pulled, but be sure to remove roots and rhizomes.

Wedelia spp. has no known biological control agents.")

 

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/sphagneticola-trilobata/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 27, 2021

This plant is Vernonia gigantea

Commonly known as Tall Ironweed
It attracts both bees and butterflies

And can be propagated via division or seeds.

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://www.fnps.org/plant/vernonia-gigantea

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 26, 2021

This is a Mexican Primrose-Willow

It's preferred habitat is open and wet

Don't confuse it with the non-native Peruvian

Which spreads aggressively and will cause you regret!

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: http://hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com/2019/12/mexican-primrosewillow-ludwigia.html

http://www.wildsouthflorida.com/peruvian.primrose-willow.html#.YUf529NKj3Q

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 25, 2021

These are some lifestages or "instars"

Of the Atala butterfly

They start as eggs and end up

As winged creatures that flutter by.

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/BFLY/Eumaeus_atala.htm

https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/2017/07/july-28-2017.html

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 24, 2021

I am known as a Blue Land Crab, 

I'm the largest semi-terrestrial crab in Florida

You can see my eye stalks bob-bobbing along

As I walk sideways down the corridor.

(Note: This entry is dedicated to my family and friends in Boston who will think it rhymes perfectly.)

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: http://ourmarinespecies.com/c-crabs/why-do-crabs-walk-sideways/

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW013

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 23, 2021

I am a female American Redstart

I forage between the ground and the top of the canopy

I like to hunt for berries and bugs

While watching out for hawks who hunt me!

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Redstart/lifehistory

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 22, 2021

I am a Red-eyed Vireo

You can see the black stripe through my eyes

Above that, I have a white eyebrow, 

And above that, another black line.

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/id#

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 21, 2021

I am a Leucauge argyra

On the top I am black and yellow

I don't have orange spots like Leucauge argyrobapta

My coloring's just a tad more mellow.

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/MISC/SPIDERS/Leucauge-argyrobapta.html

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 20, 2021

I am a Cape May Warbler

You can tell by my yellow tummy and dark streaks

You can also ID me by the sound of my voice - 

Which is a high-pitched tseet-tseet-tseet-tseet-tseet.

Location: Jungle Trail, Vero

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cape_May_Warbler/sounds

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 19, 2021

These are the berries of the Saw Palmetto

On nature preserves, they are illegal to gather

They can be used to treat human some human medical conditions

But humans are not the only critters that matter.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/stlucieco/2021/08/17/beware-saw-palmetto-berry-poachers/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 18, 2021

These are the flowers of the Rosary Pea

They look quite innocent and lovely

But the seeds of this plant contain poison

Ingest just one drop and you'll see no recovery.

Birds, however appear to be immune to it's charm

And they can and do eat it, quite smugly.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/abrus-precatorius/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 17, 2021

I am a Marbled Grasshopper

I like to live in areas that are sandy

I also like to crepitate loudly

It's not just fun, it's my modus operandi.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/ghopper/band.pdf

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 16, 2021

This plant is known as Marsh Fleabane

It's also called Cattle-tongue

It starts to bloom in the summer

After the spring has sprung.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-pluchea-odorata/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 15, 2021

I am known as a Marl Pennant

I have been seen in Florida throughout most of the year

I mostly live in coastal areas

And my wings are mostly clear.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://bugguide.net/node/view/18786/data

https://www.vararespecies.org/specie/Macrodiplax%20balteata

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 14, 2021

I am known as a Red-shouldered Hawk

How red my shoulder is can be quite variable

I am a female, I'm larger than males

Which makes me good marriage material.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Buteo_lineatus/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 13, 2021

I am a Carolina Saddlebags

I have black stripes on my otherwise red tail

I have red splotches on my wings that resemble the bags

Used by the pony express to deliver the mail.

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/pony-express-mochila

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 12, 2021

I am a Florida Ivory Millipede

I'm slow moving and I do not bite

But I can secrete a drop of hydrogen cyanide

If you hurt me or give me a fright!

(Check out the article below. These are very beneficial critters! The article also does a great job of explaining the differences between millipedes and centipedes.)

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/2020/06/24/millipedes-annoying-but-important/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 11, 2021

This plant is known as Camphorweed

Due to the Camphor-like way that it smells

I didn't notice the scent - I just thought it was pretty

Like advertisers say, "Sex sells"!

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-heterotheca-subaxillaris/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 10, 2021

This is probably an Island Apple Snail

But the shell was empty when I found it

To get a positive ID, someone must be home

You can't tell just by the shell that surrounds it.

Bookmark this great resource for identifying snails:

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/iz/resources/florida-snails/

Location: St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park, Fellsmere

Sources: https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/gastro/apple_snails.htm

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/iz/resources/florida-snails/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 9, 2021

I am another Rock Pigeon, 

I am both feral and a synanthrope

That means I can live well with humans

Others can too - with a better design approach.

(The cool thing about writing this blog is that I never know what interesting things I will come across. In this case, I was noticing in my pictures from my day at Jetty Park the wide variations in the Rock Pigeon plumages, and intended to write about that. So, I was looking for a scientific article to reference, when I came across one that mentioned Rock Pigeons are "synanthropic". I was unfamiliar with the word, so started researching that, which led me to the web site linked below, which I thought was super interesting and a bit more timely. If you enjoy the concept, check out the other bird-related articles on the same site, also linked below. )

Location: Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral

Sources: http://www.expandedenvironment.org/knowing-the-synanthrope/

http://www.expandedenvironment.org/category/animal-types/aerial/  I had to bookmark this page as I wanted to get my blog done sometime this year! So many interesting ideas.

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 8, 2021

I am a feral Rock Pigeon

Descended from captive birds

I can be found throughout the world

From bustling cities to sleepy suburbs.

Location: Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral

Sources: https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Columba_livia/

Photo and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 7, 2021

I am a rodent known as a Nutria*

I'm an exotic brought in by the fur trade

My hobbies include destroying vegetation and crops

And hosting pathogens - much to human dismay.

* Also called Coypu

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: Ouachita National Forest, Haworth, OK

Sources: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/wildlife_damage/fsc-nutria-invasive-rodent.pdf

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 6, 2021

This is an Osage-Orange tree

The Osage Indians made bows from its wood

The fruit contains a bitter, milky sap

That is inedible and does not make good food.

Except for the seeds, which squirrels will eat

But squirrels will eat anything if they're in the mood!

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: Ouachita National Forest, Haworth, OK

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

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 5, 2021

I am known as a Desert Stink Beetle

This head stand is part of my defense 

If a predator gets close, I stick my butt in the air

And spray them with a quite noxious scent.

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: Mount Lemmon, AZ

Sources: http://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2021/1/25/stinky-headstands-in-the-desert-desert-stink-beetles-genus-eleodes

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 4, 2021

I am a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird, 

My mate has a deep pink neck

We breed out west in cold, high elevations

And I alone make our insulated, warm nest.

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: Mt. Lemmon, Seven Cataracts pulloff, AZ

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Broad-tailed_Hummingbird/lifehistory#nesting

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 3, 2021

I am a Phainopepla

I live in the US south-west.

I like to perch high and catch insects in the air

But I like to eat mistletoe berries the best.

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: White Rock Campground, AZ

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Phainopepla/overview

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 2, 2021

I am a male Hooded Oriole

I can be found from California to Texas

I use my sharp, curved bill to drink from tubular flowers

And my short, sweet song is quite precious.

(Special thanks to guest photographer, David Simpson.)

Location: Sarita Rest Area, TX

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Oriole/sounds

Photo © 2021 David Simpson and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

September 1, 2021

This used to be a Northern Dusk-singing Cicada -

The largest Cicada in America, it can grow up to 3 inches

It is now just a discarded exoskelton

Cause the Cicada grew too big for its britches. 

(Special thanks to today's guest photographer, Tanya Poindexter.)

Location: East Point, GA

Sources: 

• https://bugguide.net/node/view/6968
• https://www.cicadamania.com/cicadas/megatibicen-auletes-germar-1834-aka-northern-dusk-singing-cicada/ - Make sure you check out this link, it has some cool video of the Cicada shedding it's exoskeleton.

Photo © 2021 Tanya Poindexter and text © 2021 Dee Fairbanks Simpson