Biting Flies, Horse Flies, Deer Flies Biology
This deer has at least 3 deer flies on its nose plus a couple more hovering nearby. I was not spared either despite being doused with Deep Woods Off and wearing long sleeves and a flap hat. The flies...
View ArticleFlorida Wildflowers: Yellow Milkwort
Yellow Milkwort (Polygala rugelii)Seminole State Forest along the Florida TrailRugel's milkwort or Yellow Milkwort (Polygala rugelii) is a fine example of an annual herbaceous wildflower endemic to the...
View ArticleFlorida Turtle Mating Season
Redneck, The Red-eared Slider TurtleI identify Redneck by the red stripe on his head and the white patch on his carapace (shell).Its rainy season in Florida and even though it has not rained for a...
View ArticleAIDS vs. COVID-19 déjà-vu
ACT UP, SILENCE=DEATH c. 1987Then as now, silence is deadly. Florida: 49,050 COVID-19 infections June 21-29, 2020.AIDS activists feel sense of déjà-vu as they watch the coronavirus catastrophe...
View ArticleFlorida Tick Season
Florida Tick SeasonRecently I was hiking the Florida Trail in the Seminole State Forest near Sulphur Camp, investigating the many springs that occur in that area and unfortunately I encountered a...
View ArticleFlorida's July Meltdown
This is the only safe place in Central Florida, far from people.Everyone expects Florida to be hot in July but when rains fail to materialize it is exceptionally hot. Add to the heat a politically...
View ArticleFearsome I-named Hurricanes
Tropical Storm Hanna approaches Texas, July 24, 2020.As the Atlantic's hurricane season heats up and Florida is engulfed with runaway COVID-19 infections, in the back of everyone's mind is that we're...
View ArticleHurricane Isaias Tracks Toward Florida
Hurricane Isaias became 2020's second Atlantic hurricane overnight Wednesday on its way to the Bahamas, which it has been strafing today with heavy rains, lashing winds, and tidal surge.🌿Follow...
View ArticleFlorida Butterfly Garden
Zebra longwings (Heliconius charitonius) are one of four longwing and fritillary butterflies found in Florida. They are by far the most common longwing seen in the Central Florida garden.Late summer...
View ArticleMetallic Blue in Nature
Viburnum tinus metallic blue fruitViburnum hedges have lined yards in the United States and Europe for decades — their domes of blossoms have an understated attractiveness. But once the flowers of the...
View ArticleDevil's Walking Stick
Devil's Walkingstick (Aralia spinosa)At the southernmost extent of its range I found a colony of Devil's Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa) thriving between I-4 and 17-92 on the River-2-Sea-Loop Trail in...
View ArticlePapaya Worm Season
Hornworms and more specifically Sphinx moth caterpillars have returned to Central Florida. In late summer and fall they lay their eggs on papaya trees and their larva feast on the tree's...
View ArticleFish Storms
The 2020 parade of record-early named storms in the Atlantic continued on Monday, September 7, with the formation of Tropical Storm Paulette in the central Atlantic and Tropical Storm Rene in the...
View Article12 Hours in Cartagena
When we arrived in Cartagena we had 12 hours to see it all. How to handle this impossible task? I made a list and my top 3 sites to see: #1 Fuerte de San Felipe de Barajas, #2 Escultura de la Virgen...
View ArticleWild Poinsettia Superbloom
Florida Wild Poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla)Canaveral National Seashore, Fall 2020A wildflower superbloom is currently occuring along Central Florida beaches. The superbloom event is dominated by...
View ArticlePredecessor Rain Events and Tropical Storms Gamma and Delta
Tropical Storm Gamma's moisture streams over the Florida peninsula on October 4, 2020.Several prominent features are setup cross Central Florida today setting the stage for a possible Predecessor Rain...
View ArticleHalloween and Hedonic Adaptation
As we erect our Halloween displays and display our political signs this October we seem to be desperately seeking some sense of normalcy. But nothing is normal, is it? Louisiana just got hit by the...
View ArticleGrizzly Bear Fight in Yellowstone
Screenshot from YouTube Dave AngelescuDave Angelescu didn’t know what he’d see when he went down to the Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park last Saturday. All he knew is there had been a grizzly...
View ArticleCalifornia's Great Pumpkins
Travis Gienger pumps his fist as he stands next to his 2,350-pound pumpkin during the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. Gienger won $7 per pound for a total of $16,450.Farmer Travis...
View ArticleHalloween Down East
Belfast Water District, MaineOne of the most picturesque sites along US1 from Portland to Bar Harbor is this dam on the Little River. Behind the dam is Belfast Reservoir Number One.🍁Follow...
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