Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Gulf Fritillary

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Gulf Fritillary

Florida’s Gulf Fritillary A member of the longwings, brush-footed family   The Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae) is a striking, bright orange, medium-sized butterfly common to Florida. Its wingspan is less than three inches. Its forewings are long and fairly narrow, orange above with black markings, and three black-encircled white or silvery spots at the front […]

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Nature’s Reflections – No-see-ums

Nature’s Reflections – No-see-ums

No-see-ums Can’t see them, but you can sure feel the bites   Something is biting you, but don’t see anything? If it’s summer in Florida, it’s probably No-see-ums. The tiny, most irritating insect sometimes called sand gnats or sand flies, are actually part of a family of small flies known as the biting midge (Ceratopogonidae). […]

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Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Eastern Bluebird

Nature’s Reflections – Florida’s Eastern Bluebird

Florida’s Eastern Bluebird Beautifully colored songbirds in the Thrush family   The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) is a year-round resident of Florida and a familiar species throughout the eastern United States. Two subspecies occur in Florida: Sialia sialis in the Panhandle and northern peninsula and Sialia sialis grata from Lake County southward. It is often […]

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Nature’s Reflections – Stinging Caterpillars

Nature’s Reflections – Stinging Caterpillars

Curious? Stop! Severe pain follows just a touch   Beware of beautiful caterpillars packing a powerful and painful sting. Four of Florida’s seven stinging caterpillars are common to this area. These caterpillars do not have stingers, but irritating hairs or bristled spines connected to poison glands that produce the stinging sensation, swelling and severe pain. […]

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