July 7, 2020

Location: Fellsmere, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

This is Shaggy Portulaca,
It is a low-growing succulent
It is known to grow and spread quickly
You might even say that it's growth is truculent.

Sources: World of Succulents

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 6, 2020

Location: Vero Beach, Pelican Island NWR

This is a Hygroscopic Earthstar
Hygroscopic means "attract moisture from the air"
The rays open and close around the puffball,
Like the Wolf-fart puffball, which is shaped like a pear.

Note: Wolf-fart puffball is my new favorite fungi. And I didn't make it up - check the linked article!

Sources: Astraeus hygrometricus and its various Aspests By: Dr Nadia, Yawar Hayat (Hazara University Mansehra)

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 5, 2020

Location: Fellsmere, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

I am an immature Florida Scrub-Jay,
You can tell cause I've got a brown head
Also cause I make jokes like:
"I know you are" and "That's what she said."

Sources: Cornell Lab All About Birds - Florida Scrub Jay

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 4, 2020

Location: Fellsmere, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

I am a Common Ground Dove
I've got a tiny pink-orange beak
I'm mostly light brown with dark spots
And you'll think I'm coooo-cooo when I speak.

Sources: Cornell Lab All About Birds - Common Ground Dove

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 3, 2020

Location: Orchid Island, Captain Forster Hammock Preserve Conservation Area

This is Broad-leaved Cattail
It grows throughout the US except for Hawaii
It grows in colder places like Canada
And in Florida and other states with high heat.

Sources: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Typha latifolia

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 2, 2020

Location: Fellsmere, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

I am a male Gray Wall Jumping Spider,
Diptera are my favorite snack
I don't build webs to catch my prey
I just jump when I want to attack.
I have excellent vision with my 2 front eyes
And I can see colors, not just white and black.

Sources: UF | IFAS Featured Creatures - Jumping Spiders

Photo and text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

July 1, 2020

Location: Vero Beach, Private residence

We are male Zebra longwings
We might be roosting or doing something more nefarious -
Sometimes we hang on a females chrysalis and -
When she hatches, try to play her like a Stradivarius.

Special thanks to guest photographer, Heather Stapleton.

Sources:  Florida Wildflower Foundation - Know your native pollinators: Zebra longwings

Photo © 2020  Heather Stapleton, text © 2020 Dee Fairbanks Simpson