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Tag: Florida butterflies

Florida Fauna & Flora – Zebra Butterfly

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – Zebra Butterfly

 

The zebra butterfly, formerly known as the zebra longwing butterfly, became Florida’s state insect in 1996. It is typically 3 to 4 inches in length with long wings that are black with thin yellow bands or stripes.

 

Zebra butterflies are found in Everglades National Park and throughout Florida. Its habitats include thickets, hardwood forests, hammocks and gardens. Most adult butterflies rely on flower nectar for food. They sip the liquid nectar using their proboscis that looks like a long, coiled straw.

 

Butterflies’ life cycle has four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult. Female butterflies lay eggs on or near a larval host plant, and within days the eggs hatch, and the larvae begin to feed on the plant. Its appetite is voracious, and it grows and sheds its skin often. The fully grown larva seeks shelter and attaches with silk under a leaf or twig. It then molts into a winged pupa before becoming an adult.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Over 180 butterfly species live in Florida with 40 unique to the state. Florida’s butterfly species diversity is higher than any state east of the Mississippi River.

 

Source: University of Florida IFAS Extension

 

Read the full February 2022 SECO News online.

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Florida Fauna & Flora – The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail

 

Are you looking for an outdoor adventure? Take a hike on The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail to observe native Florida animals, birds, butterflies and trees. There are 510 designated sites in the panhandle, east, west and south Florida.

 

In our local area, you’ll find sites in both the east and west. In Citrus County make a visit to the Crystal River Preserve State Park, Flying Eagle Preserve and Withlacoochee State Forest. In Lake County, look for the Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area, Lake Louisa State Park and the Seminole State Forest. In Marion County enjoy the Ocala National Forest Salt Springs, Rainbow Springs State Park and World-Famous Silver Springs State Park. In Sumter County you’ll find the Lake Panasoffkee Wildlife Management Area and the Marsh Bend “Outlet” Park.

 

The Florida Department of Transportation and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida support the Trail. The program is overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

 

Fun Fauna Fact: Millions visit The Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail every year. Its economic impact is over $1 billion for the state, but the Trail’s goal is to encourage conservation of our native habitats and species.

 

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

 

Read the full January 2022 SECO News online.

 

Nature’s Reflections – Butterflies

THE GRACEFUL, CROWNING TOUCH TO ANY GARDEN

 

Some are as big as your hand, while others could fit on the head of a tack. Regardless of size, butterflies are creatures of beauty that are a joy to watch. According to entomologists, there are 200 species of butterflies and moths with breeding populations in Florida. Many others visit or migrate through our State.

 

The most successful butterfly habitat includes plants which meet the needs of butterflies during all four stages of their life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult. After mating, female butterflies search for the perfect host plant on which to lay their eggs. Not just any plant will do, and native plants are favorites. Females must find a plant that will provide food for their young who emerge as caterpillars with voracious appetites and survive on leaves of the host plant. Most caterpillars have defenses other than coloration. Some hide in curled leaves or silk webbing, while others emit an odor that is repulsive to an enemy.

 

A caterpillar’s best defense is quick growth, escaping would-be predators by shedding skin to change into a chrysalis. It quickly attaches to plant stems protected by surrounding vegetation. Inside the chrysalis, the adult butterfly is formed by metamorphosis and emerges to sip the sweet nectar from Florida’s flowers.

 

Time from egg to adult is five weeks. Adults lead a life of leisure, eating, mating, laying eggs, sleeping, and of course, escaping predators. Enemies of these gorgeous, day-flying insects are primarily human creations – vehicles, pesticides and parking lots. Others fall prey to disease and natural predators. Ants, particularly fire ants, along with other insects, arachnids (spiders) and birds are among the major predators of butterfly eggs and caterpillars.

 

Adult butterflies are capable of traveling considerable distances. During the fall, monarchs travel from southern Canada to central Mexico. In Florida, the monarch is not the only long-distance traveler. From August to mid-October, huge numbers of cloudless sulphurs, long-tailed skippers, common buckeyes, gulf fritillaries, clouded skippers and others come south with the rest of the snowbirds to spend the winter in Florida.

 

Column & photos by Sandi Staton – sandi.staton@gmail.com

 

Read the full Nature’s Reflections article in the October 2018 SECO News online.