Wetland Butterflies

What makes for a great day of bug hunting...very few birds to see (it's just that time of the year), even fewer people in the area (not so many people looking at me like I'm crazy for laying/crawling in the dirt), and being sans toddler (3 year olds do not enjoy being still or quiet for long periods). So, my Saturday visit to the wetlands, which happened to be open to foot traffic only (which means significantly less people), while the toddler was spending the day with grandparents made for the perfect day to go exploring with my macro lens...

~Dainty Sulphur~ 

The Dainty Sulphur is a small butterfly that is found year round throughout Florida. I also saw several Cabbage White butterflies (also part of the sulphur family), which are pretty dull compared to the Dainty.

~Ceraunus Blue~

This was the first Ceraunus Blue that I've found. These butterflies are really small (3/4-1 inch) and easy to overlook. They are considered common and found year round in Florida. The species is very similar to the Cassius Blue. The Cassius, however, has 2 spots on the hindwing, where the Ceraunus only has one.

~Gray Hairstreak~

I think hairstreaks are some of the most interesting butterflies. Most (but not all) are identified by a small protruding "hair" at the bottom of its tail. This Gray Hairstreak was feeding on some Shepard's Needles, one of its favorite nectar sources.

~White Peacock~

White Peacocks are common throughout Florida and were the most abundant species I saw.

~Gulf Fritillary~

I observed both species of fritillaries laying eggs.

~Variegated Fritillary~

~Queen~

Queen butterflies are always delightful to see. Queens are cousins of a species they strongly resemble, the Monarchs. Both of these "milkweed butterflies" are part of the same subfamily and are known to lay their eggs on various types of milkweed. The ingestion of milkweed contributes to the defense of these species as it makes them toxic to predators.

~Fiery Skipper~

Most Skippers have large, moth-like bodies, small wings, and hooked antennae.

~Checkered Skipper~

The Common Checkered Skipper is found throughout Florida. These skippers like open areas with bare ground and low growing vegetation. Adults feed from a wide variety of flowers.

~Southern Skipperling~

The Southern Skipperling is the smallest skipper in North America. This little fellow sure was tiny!

Some of the other species that I saw but didn't get any presentable photos of were Zebra Long-wings, Spicebush Swallowtails, Sleepy Oranges, and Cabbage White butterflies. So long for now....  next up the damselflies and dragonflies of the wetlands:)

More Black....

Well, more black skies that is, if you live in this part of Florida. The Sunshine State has definitely not been living up to its name! There has been a tropical storm lingering in the gulf, which is now finally making its way across northern Florida. We have resorted to doing some of our usual activities in the rain....running in the rain, bird watching in the rain, hiking in the rain....We usually start out when there is a brief break in the weather, fooled by the almost decent looking skies. Yesterday, however, seeing black at the Click Ponds turned out to be a good thing! 

Black Tern

We came across 2 Black Terns!!! I have never seen them at the ponds, so I was super excited to get a chance to watch them racing about (in the rain). They didn't come very close, so I only ended up with these poor photos, taken from the car...

Black Tern

About ten minutes later, it was not longer raining and the sun was fighting with the clouds as it attempted to break through.

Common Gallinule family

I also saw this Common Gallinule, which is quite common here, with its brood of seven chicks! The typical familes I've seen here and at the wetlands usually only have 2-3 chicks. Sorry Gallinule, but these are probably the least cute chicks I've seen...

Green Heron

There continues to be a healthy population of active Green Herons feeding on frogs, fish, and even dragonflies.

Green Heron

Queen

There are also very large numbers of dragonflies and butterflies.

Florida Soft Shell Turtle

The wetlands have been closed to cars for the past few weeks so we have been walking, but we usually don't make it too far before the rain returns.

The weather has not been too kind to the migrating seabirds passing by this area. There have been numerous news stories this week about the unusually high numbers of migrating Greater Shearwaters (close to a hundred) that are showing up on the beaches in very poor condition. Even with treatment at the local wildlife hospital, most have not survived. Hopefully the weather will be improving soon!