December 7, 2025

This plant is known as Psychotria tenuifolia

Velvet-leafed Wild Coffee more commonly

It's berries are shown here in 

Various stages and colors of ripening.

Location: Teague Hammock Preserve, Port St. Lucie, FL

Sources: https://nativebutterflyflowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Velvet-Leaf-Coffee.pdf

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 6, 2025

I am a female Red-shouldered Hawk

Appearing to be lost deep in thought

In reality I'm tired and thinking about lunch

Hoping it's slow enough to be easily caught.

Location: Teague Hammock Preserve, Port St. Lucie, FL

Sources: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-shouldered_Hawk/lifehistory

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 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.