Seepage bog leps and flowers

I went scoping for skippers and flowers in a nice seepage bog with my friend Mary Ann.


Dusky Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes alternata)



Arogos Skipper (Atrytone arogos)



Little Metalmarks (Calephelis virginiensis)



Pine Lily (Lilium catesbaei)


And lastly, a species that my friend Ben recently found in Indiana






Yellow Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

Catching up with some half year highlights

Here are some memorable (for me) little gems from my past few months.



My friend Kirk spotted one of these Okefenokee Zale Moth larvae (Zale perculta) while we were out looking for other things. It turned out to represent a ~100 mile extension to their previously known range. They feed exclusively on Climbing Fetterbush (Pieris phyllyreifolia), which is a pretty neat plant that you can learn more about HERE.



This Portuguese Man-O-War (Physalia physalis) is doomed to be churned in the surf and washed up on the beach. They float at the surface, have no ability to propel themselves, and are completely at the mercy of where the wind and surface currents direct them.



I was fortunate to be involved in the capture of this Black-banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon) while seining for Greater Sirens (Siren lacertina). This beautiful little species hadn't been documented in Florida for many years, and my friend John recognized it for the special find it was.



While following a group of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis), I flushed up this young Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) which had just caught a Southern Black Racer (Coluber constrictor priapus). I took this low quality photo through a scope mounted on a gun stock, so the quality isn't very good, but I still like it.



This Oldfield Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) was caught in a funnel trap set out to sample herps. I rarely see more than a glimpse of small mammals unless they're being trapped for, so this was a treat to see.



I happened upon this domesticated Muscovy Duck hen tending her recently hatched young back in a swampy area while looking for sirens. I'm including this photo for my mother, who has a special place in her heart for domesticated waterfowl. Also, the cute factor is admittedly pretty high.

Little Metalmark

I recently went out into the field with a neat woman who does a lot of work on butterflies in this area. I got to see some local rarities, along with what is apparently not rare in these parts, Little Metalmarks (Calephelis virginiensis). I love metalmarks, which are really pretty tiny, especially the "little" ones. Click here to see some photos that do better service to the silvery markings on their wings for which they get their name.

Some cool Florida arthropods

I know they get a bad rap, but when you take the time to get a good close look, "bugs" can be pretty awesome. Here are a few of my favorites from the past week or so. The grasshoppers get quite a bit of the attention here, and that's because they've been grabbing my attention lately.


Golden Silk Spider (Nephila clavipes) Almost every time I see this species, there's a male and large (sometimes 4+ inches long including legs) female in the web together. I wonder if it's a seasonal thing. Their silk really is a golden color instead of white or cream.


male rhinoceros beetle (Strategus antaeus) Males of this impressive species use those huge "horns" on their thorax along with their strong legs to fight each other for mating rights.


Handsome Grasshopper (Syrbula admirabilis) A fitting name in my opinion.


female Eastern Lubber Grasshopper (Romalea guttata) This is a hulk of a grasshopper, with its width equal to that of my thumb.


unidentified grasshopper - Even if I can't figure out what someone named this thing 100 years ago, it's still an attractive enough animal to include here.


Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops) I've seen this species in other states, but I just really like hairstreaks. I mean, look at the black and white striped legs and antennae, along with the obvious cool wing markings when you blow up the photo. What is there not to like? As an interesting natural history note, the caterpillars of this species feed on dead and decaying leaves on the ground rather than living leaves that are still attached to the plant. Definitely not a "garden pest."

Texas in May

The year's second brood of Mourning Cloaks (Nymphalis antiopa) are starting to emerge. There might be flashier butterflies, but this is definitely one of my favorites.



Sarah and I went out one night to see breeding amphibians. We saw some neat species, but the Gulf Coast Toads (Bufo nebulifer) were the most entertaining.



The Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia sp.), which is all over the place, has been blooming. There is some color variation across plants, but this all yellow form is the most common.



There's something atmospheric about the silhouette of a dead tree full of vultures.



Sarah and I found this Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) crossing the road. It takes many years for them to get this large, and it's a real shame that so many are killed on roads. In these long-lived and slowly-maturing species, even a small increase in percentage of deaths in reproductively mature adults can cause considerable population declines. I used to pick them up by the tail, until I learned that this can cause severe spinal injury to the animal. I'm holding this one by the carapace (top of shell) just above the hind legs.

Some neat stuff from this week

As the seasons progress, new waves of wildflowers replace or add to the ones preceding them.


Sarah and I were excited to see our first blooming Lace Cactus(Echinocereus reichenbachii).



This Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja sp.) had great color, and stood out among the more common flowers in the area.



The American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) is usually seen with open wings from above, which are mostly orange and black. I included this photo because I think the more intricately patterned and colored underside is often unnoticed or underappreciated.



This is an Ironclad Beetle (Zopherus nodulosus) that I found under a log. I like finding oddballs like this.

Photos from the past couple days

This is an Eight-spotted Forester Moth (Alypia wittfeldii). They really are striking.


This is a Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola).


This male Plains Clubtail (Gomphus externus) was a new dragonfly for me. It posed nicely.


I put this Antlion larva (Myrmeleon sp.) on here for my brother Alex. Alex, you know why.

Red-spotted Purple

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis) is one of the more "cooperative" butterflies when it comes to getting close for a good look or a photo. With some things, using a flash up close washes out the color. With this, it helped bring out the blue iridescence. This species makes a harmless and tasty meal for any bird brave enough to eat one, but many get passed up because they resemble the toxic Pipevine Swallowtail.

Fort Hood so far

My job on Fort Hood has begun, and although I've not yet seen a Golden-cheeked Warbler, there has been some neat stuff to keep my attention.


I was pleased to get this 'Olive' Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) and a Great Purple Hairstreak (Atlides halesus) in the same shot on this Elbow bush (Forestiera pubescens).


Though not rare, these Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) were fun to see up close.


This flower may be some type of phlox, but I'm not sure. Either way, I think it's pretty.


This Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) was a recent lifer for me, so it was fun to get to hold one. They're very spirited.


This Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus) was my first wild scorpion. Good reminder that I'm in Texas.


Does this remind anyone of Lord of the Rings?

Fauna selections of the Ontario fishing trip

I paid much attention to the birds of Ontario, but found it easier to take pictures of other things, with the exception of a bird in an egg (they can't fly away).


What is this Clubtail? (Gomphus sp.?) on Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)



Green Comma (Polygonia faunus) on a flaky-barked tree. Pretty effective camouflage I think.



One-eyed Sphinx Moth (Smerinthus cerisyi) conveniently (for me) attracted along with many other moths to lights left on at night. Unfortunately, many moths don't accomplish the reproduction necessary for the next generation to exist because of the lights we leave on and because of their inability to fight the seemingly stupid attraction to those lights.



Common Loon (Gavia immer) nest with single egg. Apparently most loons lay more than one egg, and one-egg nests are usually due to the loss of the first egg.



This mouse, along with a couple others that showed up in our cabin, was just cute enough for me to include on this post. I forgot my mammal guide in Indiana, so I haven't been able to try to identify it yet. If anyone can tell, I'm all ears.

Flora selections of the Ontario fishing trip

While not fishing, usually while others were sleeping, I had to do some exploring. These are a few plants that look nice in the photos.

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Yellow Clintonia (Clintonia borealis)



American Mountain Ash (Pyrus americana) with Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis)



Pink Corydalis (Corydalis sempervirens)



Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule)



Pale Laurel (Kalmia polifolia)