Craig's Bird Watching and Nature Blog

Red Shouldered Hawk in Flight

2012-01-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

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Craig Glenn

Scrub Jay

2012-01-06T15:51:00.000-05:00

Florida Scrub Jay

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Craig Glenn

Oleander Moth or Polka-Dot Wasp Moth

2011-11-29T18:18:00.000-05:00

The Polka-Dot Wasp Moth (Syntomeida epilais) is a species of moth thought to be native to the Caribbean. The species is also called the Oleander Moth after the Oleander plant, from which its young feed. Like most wasp moths, these moths are day fliers.

And they prefer neotropic areas, to which they are native. The North American subspecies is S. epilais jucundissima, which is locally common in all areas of Florida, and has been seen as far north as Savannah, GA.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Botany Photographs from Lyonia Preserve

2011-11-22T14:23:00.001-05:00

Photographs taken by Craig Glenn at Lyonia Preserve in Volusia County Florida.

About Lyonia Preserve:
Lyonia Preserve is a 360-acre joint project of Volusia County's Land Acquisition and Management Division and the Volusia County School Board to restore and maintain scrub habitat. Since 1994, restoration efforts have removed overgrown sand pines and opened up the understory, creating the characteristic bare sand areas with low-growing vegetation preferred by scrub species.

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Craig Glenn

Florida Scrub Jay Part I

2011-11-20T11:25:00.003-05:00

Scrub Jay

This is the first in a series of post talking about the Florida Scrub Jay. Also, a chance to share with everyone my first sighting and encounter with this really cool bird!

Did you know:

The Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) is one of the species of scrub-jay native to North America. It is the only species of bird endemic to the U.S. state of Florida. Because of this, it is heavily sought by birders who travel from across the country to observe this unique species. It is known to have been present in Florida as a recognizably distinct species since at least 2 mya; possibly it is derived from the ancestors of Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay, the inland forms of the Western Scrub-jay.

It is 28 cm (11 in) long, and weighs 75–85 g (2.6–3.0 oz). It has a strong black bill, blue head and nape without a crest, a whitish forehead and supercilium, blue bib, blue wings, grayish underparts, gray back, long blue tail, black legs and feet.

Did you Know Source

Photographs taken at Lyonia Preserve by Craig Glenn.

About Lyonia Preserve:
Lyonia Preserve is a 360-acre joint project of Volusia County's Land Acquisition and Management Division and the Volusia County School Board to restore and maintain scrub habitat. Since 1994, restoration efforts have removed overgrown sand pines and opened up the understory, creating the characteristic bare sand areas with low-growing vegetation preferred by scrub species.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Eastern Carpenter Bee Male

2011-11-17T11:57:00.001-05:00

Click image to enlarge

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Craig Glenn

Grasshopper Rescue

2011-11-16T16:38:00.000-05:00

Here is a little grasshopper I rescued from the pool today.

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Craig Glenn

Honey Bee on Lantana

2011-11-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

Honey Bee

I have enjoyed all the bees this year on our Lantana! The Honey Bee's are so cute and make a great photography subject.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn
HireCraig.com

Eastern Carpenter Bee

2011-11-07T17:39:00.001-05:00

Eastern Carpenter Bee - Male

Did you know:

Eastern Carpenter Bee, male (Xylocopa virginica). The Eastern Carpenter Bee is often mistaken for a large bumblebee species, as they are similar in size and coloring. They are important pollinators, and sometimes bore holes in wood dwellings. They use chewed wood bits to form partitions between the cells in the nest. The most visible physical difference between this species and a bumblebee is the abdomen.

Eastern carpenter bees have a shiny black abdomen, with the only yellow hair present being at the base next to the thorax, while bumblebees have a very fuzzy abdomen, which in some species has large areas of yellow hair across the middle (this is visible and obvious). The female eastern carpenter bee also has a much broader head than bumblebees. Eastern carpenter bees can be sexed at a glance. Males have a patch of white cuticle on the face, as opposed to females, whose faces are black. Males are unable to sting. Female carpenter bees make nests by tunneling into wood. They make an initial upward hole in an overhang. Then they make one or more horizontal tunnels.

Unlike termites, carpenter bees (also called woodcutters) do not eat wood. They discard the bits of wood, or use them to make partitions (walls) inside the tunnels of their nests. The tunnel functions as a nursery for brood and the pollen or nectar upon which the brood subsists.

Did you know information source: http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/102182/enlarge

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn
HireCraig

Boat-Tailed Grackles Bathing

2011-11-05T18:17:00.002-04:00

Female

Male

Female Cardinal

2011-10-18T19:02:00.004-04:00

Did you Know:

A group of cardinals has many collective nouns, including a "college", "conclave", "deck", "radiance", and "Vatican" of cardinals.

It is the state bird of seven states-Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. No other bird holds this distinction.

Males that have a brighter red color appear to feed at higher rates and have greater reproductive success than males that are duller in color.

The Northern Cardinal can live up to 15 years in the wild.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Cassius Blue Butterfly

2011-10-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Did you know:

Cassius Blue
Leptotes cassius

Family name: Lycaenidae/Gossamer Wings

General description: Male violet-blue with white fringes. Female brown with blue scaling limited to wing bases; hindwing of both sexes with dark spots along margin. Wings somewhat translucent. Ventral hindwing white with darker gray bands and two orange-rimmed black eyespots along outer margin.

Field Marks: small; ventral hindwing white with darker gray bands and two orange-rimmed black spots along outer margin

Sexes: appear different

Wingspan: 15-25 mm

Life Cycle: Egg: blue, flattened, laid singly on host flowers, flower buds, or developing seed pods Mature larva: variable; green to green with pink or darker green markings Chrysalis: light brown with darker brown markings

Number of Generations: 3 or more per year

Flight Season: all year

Abundance: Common

Habitat: disturbed sites, gardens, parks, forest margins, beach dunes, nurseries
Counties: Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, De Soto, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Volusia
Larval Host Plants: Milkpea (Galactia pp.), Leadwort (Plumbago auriculata), wild tamarind (Lysiloma latisiliquum).

Similar Species: Ceraunus Blue

Additional Information: Regularly expands range into northern portions of Florida.

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Craig Glenn
WeLoveButterflies.com

Dove Resting

2011-10-14T12:24:00.002-04:00

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Craig Glenn

Red Shouldered Hawk at Cranes Roost

2011-10-10T18:48:00.004-04:00

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Craig Glenn

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly II

2011-10-05T22:30:00.000-04:00

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Craig Glenn

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

2011-09-29T17:42:00.006-04:00

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

View Slideshow Fullscreen

Did you know?

Scientific name: Papilio cresphontes Cramer
(Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

The giant swallowtail is the largest butterfly in North America. It is easily recognized by the conspicuous yellow pattern on a black background. Larvae of the giant swallowtail feed on citrus and are called orange dogs. Caterpillars in the north feed on other plants such as prickly ash.

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Craig Glenn
hirecraig.com
welovebutterflies.com

Lake Harris Florida

2011-09-15T22:09:00.002-04:00

Sunset

Full Screen View

Bee's on Lantana II

2011-09-11T15:48:00.001-04:00

Bee's on Lantana in our backyard!

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Craig Glenn

Oleander Moth - Polka-Dot Wasp Moth

2011-08-28T22:10:00.001-04:00

Don't Worry, BEE Happy

2011-08-24T15:31:00.000-04:00

Monarch Butterfly Laying her Eggs

2011-08-22T13:11:00.004-04:00

Monarch Butterfly

Watch Full Screen Slideshow!

Eastern Amberwing

2011-08-16T15:09:00.001-04:00

Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly

Metallic Green Bee on Lantana

2011-08-15T14:56:00.004-04:00

Metallic Green Bee

Honey Bees

2011-08-13T16:24:00.000-04:00

Honey Bee on Lantana

Fiery Skipper

2011-07-30T20:09:00.002-04:00

Sunrise at Haleakala Maui

2011-07-08T19:51:00.001-04:00

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Craig Glenn

Baby Anole

2011-07-05T10:25:00.003-04:00

Brown Anole

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Craig Glenn

Unknown Dragon Fly - Update

2011-07-01T14:32:00.013-04:00

Needham's Skimmer
Libellula needhami

Picasa Slider

Thanks to my old friend Don Broome for the ID of this dragon fly!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Craig Glenn

Eastern Pondhawk Male Dragonfly

2011-06-26T20:00:00.002-04:00

Eastern Pondhawk

(click image to enlarge)

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Craig Glenn

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

2011-06-26T19:37:00.005-04:00

Spicebush Swallowtail

(click on photo to enlarge)

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Craig Glenn

Toe Eating Blue Jay

2011-05-29T19:43:00.003-04:00

Immature Northern Cardinal

2011-05-01T15:18:00.011-04:00

Immature Male Transitional

Red feathers molting in give mottled appearance Immature males show variable amount of red, and may have bare patches.

The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They’re a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can’t take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don’t migrate and they don’t molt into a dull plumage, so they’re still breathtaking in winter’s snowy backyards. In summer, their sweet whistles are one of the first sounds of the morning.

SOURCE

Monarch Caterpillar

2011-04-18T19:06:00.002-04:00

Monarch Caterpillar

Our first Monarch Caterpillar

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Craig

Deer Guards Nest

2011-04-08T11:38:00.000-04:00

Decorah Eagles

2011-04-07T17:39:00.001-04:00

Stream videos at Ustream

Brown Pelican Take Off

2011-01-10T12:29:00.007-05:00

Brown Pelican

(Click to enlarge)

The Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard.

The Brown Pelican occurs on coasts in the Americas from Washington and Virginia south to northern Peru and the mouth of the Amazon River, as well as the island of Saut d'Eau in Trinidad and Tobago. Some immature birds may stray to inland freshwater lakes. After nesting, North American birds move in flocks further north along the coasts, returning to warmer waters for winter. Their young are hatched in broods of about 3, and eat around 150 lbs. of fish in the 8-10 month period they are cared for.

This bird is distinguished from the American White Pelican by its brown body and its habit of diving for fish from the air, as opposed to co-operative fishing from the surface. It eats mainly fish and amphibians as well as crustaceans. Groups of Brown Pelicans often travel in single file, flying low over the water's surface.

The nest location varies from a simple scrape on the ground on an island to a bulky stick nest in a low tree. These birds nest in colonies, usually on islands.

Photographed by Craig Glenn on Sanibel Island.

RESEARCH

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Mystery Critter Wednesday 17 Solved

2011-01-05T17:13:00.018-05:00

Greater Kudu

So sorry first of all for the LONG delay with this answer. Scooter begged and begged me not to post the real winner. So I put it off as long as I could.

And the Winner is.... JOAN THE BUG LADY!!!!

About the Greater Kudu:

Swahili Name:	Tandala Mkubwa and Tandala Ndogo
Scientific Name:	greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), lesser kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis)
Size:	55 inches (greater kudu)
Weight:	565 pounds (greater kudu)
Lifespan:	7 to 8 years in the wild and up to 23 years in captivity
Habitat:	Dense bush or forest
Diet:	Herbivorous
Gestation:	Up to 9 months (greater kudu)
Predators:	leopards, hunting dogs, spotted hyenas, humans

The greater kudu is considered by many to be the most handsome of the tragelaphine antelopes, which includes the bongo, eland, nyala, bushbuck and sitatunga.

Physical Characteristics
Kudus, both the greater kudu and its close cousin the lesser kudu, have stripes and spots on the body, and most have a chevron of white hair on the forehead between the eyes.

Greater and lesser kudu males have long, spiral horns; occasionally a female will have small ones. The greater kudu's horns are spectacular and can grow as long as 72 inches, making 2 1/2 graceful twists. These beautifully shaped horns have long been prized in Africa for use as musical instruments, honey containers and symbolic ritual objects. In some cultures the horns are thought to be the dwelling places of powerful spirits, and in others they are a symbol for male potency. The horns are seldom used in defense against predators; nor are they an impediment in wooded habitats-the kudu tilts the chin up and lays the horns against the back, moving easily through dense bush.

Female greater kudus are noticeably smaller than the males. By contrast, lesser kudus are even smaller, about 42 inches at the shoulder; males weigh around 220 pounds while females generally weigh about 50 pounds less. Lesser kudus have smaller horns than the greater kudus and conspicuous white patches on the upper and lower parts of the neck. Although both species are bluish-gray, grayish-brown or rust color, the lesser has five to six more lateral white stripes, for a total of 11 to 15. Both species have a crest of long hair along the spine, and greater kudus also have a fringe under the chin.

Habitat
Lesser kudus are found in acacia and commiphora thornbush in arid savannas; they rely on thickets for security and are rarely found in open or scattered bush. Greater kudus are found in woodlands and bushlands.

Behavior
The hierarchy among kudu males is usually determined by age and size. Males of about the same size and age engage in sparring contests in which they approach one another slowly, lock horns and push back and forth until one gives up. Usually no serious injuries result, but remains of animals have been found where the two combatants had locked horns in such a way that they could not disengage. Dominance is usually quickly and peacefully determined by a lateral display in which one male stands sideways in front of the other and makes himself look as large as possible. If the other is suitably impressed, dominance is established.

Sometimes males form small bachelor groups, but more commonly they are solitary and widely dispersed.

Diet
Kudus live in the drier areas of eastern and southern Africa, wherever there is adequate low- and medium-level woody growth to provide food and shelter. They are browsers and eat leaves and shoots from a variety of plants. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid they provide. The lesser kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu. Where farming has developed near their habitat, kudus will sometimes make nocturnal visits to plantations and vegetable plots. As they can make spectacular leaps of up to 6 feet, it takes a high fence to keep them out.

Caring for the Young
Females and their offspring form small groups of six to 10. The males usually only join them during mating season.

The pregnant female departs from her group to give birth, leaving the newborn lying out for 4 or 5 weeks, one of the longest periods of all the antelopes. The calf then begins to accompany its mother for short periods of time and by 3 or 4 months is with her constantly. Soon after, the mother and calf rejoin the female's group. Calves grow rapidly and at 6 months are fairly independent of their mothers.

Predators
Lions, leopards, hunting dogs and spotted hyenas hunt kudu, and cheetahs, smaller cats, eagles and pythons prey on the young. Their numbers are also affected by humans hunting them for their meat, hides and horns, or using their habitats for charcoal burning and farming. Kudus are highly susceptible to the rinderpest virus, and many scientists think recurring epidemics of the disease have reduced kudu populations in East Africa.

Did you know?

Their cryptic coloring and markings protect kudus by camouflaging them. If alarmed they usually stand still and are very difficult to spot.

Kudus normally restrict their movements to a small home range, but the scarcity of food in dry season may prompt them to roam more widely.

RESEARCH SOURCE

Thanks for stopping by and playing Myster Critter Wednesday!

Craig Glenn

Bumblebee on Lantana

2010-11-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Bumblebee on Lantana

I know, another bee photo, but I just can't help myself. I photographed this one on in our backyard on Lantana. I just love all that pollen she has stored up on the hind legs. Adult females use modified hind legs equipped with corbicula to carry pollen to their offspring. Here is a great article where you can learn more about bee parts.

Thanks for stopping by,

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 17

2010-11-24T04:00:00.001-05:00

Mystery Critter Wednesday

This weeks Mystery Critter is once again not native to Florida so keep that in mind. This weeks prize is a free "Follow my Blog" membership for 2011! Have fun Mystery Critter Slayers!

Note: Since I have so many Social Media outlets, it's too difficult to keep track of everyone's answers from other mediums. Therefore, only answers left on the blog are considered in determining the winner of MCW. Prizes are taxable for their actual value, but don't worry they are not really worth anything!

Thanks for playing!

Monarch Laying Egg

2010-11-23T04:00:00.001-05:00

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed, and caterpillars only eat milkweed. But humans don’t seem to like milkweed very much and are cutting it down for various reasons. Sometimes humans cut down milkweed in order to build houses, buildings and streets. Sometimes the milkweed is cut down when trees are removed to harvest the wood. In recent years there have been a lot of wildfires that have destroyed a lot of milkweed. Humans cut milkweed down in their own yards because it doesn’t smell very good or they think it is a weed. But these humans don’t realize that monarch butterflies need the milkweed in order to survive, and the monarch butterfly population is dwindling.

The humans who do realize how much the monarch butterfly population is in danger because of the disappearing milkweed are doing something about it, and you can, too. These people are called conservationists. What they do is purchase some land or even set aside a piece of their own land, and they plant milkweed on the land as well as everything else that is needed for the monarch butterflies to live and grow in a natural habitat. You can help the monarch butterflies by asking your parents for a small portion of a back corner of your yard for a monarch butterfly conservation area. You can plant milkweed for the monarch butterflies, and perhaps a nice butterfly bush to attract the monarch butterflies to your conservation corner. Before you know it you will be hosting new generations of beautiful monarch butterflies every few months.

Research Link

Photographed by Craig on Milkweed.

Side Note: The yellow things are not eggs but Yellow Milkweed Aphids (learn more).

Gulf Fritillary on Lantana

2010-11-22T04:00:00.000-05:00

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, is a striking, bright orange butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae. These were formerly classified in a separate family, the Heliconiidae or longwing butterflies, and like other longwings this species does have long, rather narrow wings in comparison with other butterflies. It is not closely related to the true fritillaries. It is a medium to large butterfly, with a wingspan of 6–9.5 cm (2.4–3.7 in). Its underwings are buff, with large silvery spots. It takes its name from migrating flights of the butterflies sometimes seen over the Gulf of Mexico.
Egg

The Gulf Fritillary is commonly seen in parks and gardens, as well as in open country. Its range extends from Argentina through Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean to the southern United States, as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area on the west coast. It is occasionally found farther north in the US.

Research

Photographed by Me in the backyard.

Thanks for stopping by,

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed

2010-11-19T04:00:00.001-05:00

Monarch Butterfly

You can’t raise Monarchs without the Milkweed family of plants. It is the sole Monarch caterpillar food source.

There are over 100 species of milkweed in North America. They are members of the genus Asclepias.

The thick, white milk (sap) of the milkweed family of plants contains lethal cardenolides (heart poisons).

They produce vomiting and sometimes death if eaten by a predator.

The Monarch’s tissues are miraculously not harmed by the chemicals which normally effect the nervous system.

This means the Monarch:

has few competitors for milkweed
caterpillar, after eating milkweed, has higher concentration of poisons than the plant
poisons are passed from caterpillar to butterfly during metamorphosis
predators stay away after one taste, however, Cardinals seem to think they are very tasty!

The Monarch’s total dependency on milkweed also means “no milkweed......no Monarch”.

Research

Photographed by Craig Glenn on Milkweed in our backyard.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mystery Critter Wednesday 16 Solved

2010-11-18T14:46:00.006-05:00

Giraffe Topiary

Well the Mystery Critter fans were stumped this week! Sometimes the answer is as plain as the big green Giraffe in front of your face. But for being such loyal fans I have included a nice Busch Gardens Giraffe for you to enjoy. But first here's some cool facts about Topiary.

Topiary is the horticultural practice of training of live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be an art and is a form of living sculpture. The word derives from the Latin word for an ornamental landscape gardener, topiarius, creator of topia or "places", a Greek word that Romans applied also to fictive indoor landscapes executed in fresco. No doubt the use of a Greek word betokens the art's origins in the Hellenistic world that was influenced by Persia, for neither Classical Greece nor Republican Rome developed any sophisticated tradition of artful pleasure grounds.

The plants used in topiary are evergreen, mostly woody, have small leaves or needles, produce dense foliage, and have compact and/or columnar (e.g. fastigiate) growth habits. Common species choices used in topiary include cultivars of European box (Buxus sempervirens), arborvitae (Thuja spp.), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), holly (Ilex spp.), myrtle (Eugenia or Myrtus species), yew (Taxus species), and privet (Ligustrum species.). Shaped wire cages are sometimes employed in modern topiary to guide untutored shears, but traditional topiary depends on patience and a steady hand; small-leaved ivy can be used to cover a cage and give the look of topiary in a few months. The hedge is a simple form of topiary used to create boundaries, walls or screens.

Topiary Research

Photographs by me at Busch Gardens Tampa.

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 16

2010-11-17T04:00:00.000-05:00

Mystery Critter Wednesday

There will be no mercy for Scooter this week! I have got him for sure this time. Hidden in this image is one of the greatest masters of camouflage known to exist in the natural world! So rarely seen, they are believed to not even exist. There are no known photographs in existence. Until NOW!!!

Good luck Mystery Critter Slayers!

And as always, thanks for stopping by.

Eastern Gray Squirrel in Magnolia

2010-11-16T04:00:00.001-05:00

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Like many members of the family Sciuridae, the eastern gray squirrel is a scatter-hoarder; it hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. Some caches are quite temporary, especially those made near the site of a sudden abundance of food which can be retrieved within hours or days for re-burial in a more secure site. Others are more permanent and are not retrieved until months later. It has been estimated that each squirrel makes several thousand caches each season. The squirrels have very accurate spatial memory for the locations of these caches, and use distant and nearby landmarks to retrieve them. Smell is used once the squirrel is within a few centimeters of the cache. It is one of very few mammalian species that can descend a tree head-first. It does this by turning its feet so that the claws of its hindpaws are backward pointing and can grip the tree bark.
Eastern gray squirrel drey

Eastern gray squirrels build a type of nest, known as a drey, in the forks of trees. The drey consists mainly of dry leaves and twigs; Spanish moss is also useful where it's available. It may also build a nest in the attic or in the exterior walls of a house, often to the consternation of the homeowner. In addition, the squirrel may inhabit a permanent tree den.

Eastern gray squirrels are more active during the early and late hours of the day, and tend to avoid the heat in the middle of a summer day. They do not hibernate.

Predators include humans, hawks, mustelids, skunks, raccoons, domestic and feral cats, snakes, owls and dogs. On occasion, a squirrel may lose part of its tail while escaping a predator.

Research

Photographed by Craig Glenn in the Magnolia tree in our front yard.

Thanks for stopping by!

Common Buckeye on Lantana

2010-11-14T12:45:00.001-05:00

Common Buckeye

The (Common) Buckeye (Junonia coenia) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia and all parts of the United States except the northwest, and is especially common in the south, the California coast, and throughout Central America and Colombia. The sub-species Junonia coenia bergi is endemic to the island of Bermuda.

Its habitat is open areas with low vegetation and some bare ground. This species and its relatives were placed formerly in the genus Precis.

The bold pattern of eyespots and white bars on the upper wing surface is distinctive in much of its range, though compare related species in the same genus. (These are Mangrove Buckeye, Junonia evarete and Tropical Buckeye, Junonia genoveva, formerly considered one species, the Smoky Buckeye, Junonia evarete.) The eyespots likely serve to startle or distract predators, especially young birds. The species has many flights throughout the year, with mostly northward migrations for the summer. Much of the northern United States is only colonized in the fall from southern populations. Some of the later broods move southwards in the fall. Common buckeyes exhibit seasonal polyphenism, the summer version of the butterfly has light yellowish ventral wings and is called "linea". The Fall morph has pink ventral wings, and is called the "rosa" morph.

Adults feed on nectar and also take fluids from mud and damp sand. Males perch on bare ground or low plants, occasionally patrolling in search of females, but they are not territorial. The female lays eggs singly on buds or the upper side of leaves. The caterpillars are solitary and feed on the foliage, flowers, and fruits of the host plant. A variety of (typically) herbaceous plants are used, including especially plants in the snapdragon family (Scrophulariaceae). These include snapdragon (Antirrhinum), toadflax (Linaria), and Gerardia. Caterpillars also feed on plants of the plantain family, such as Plantago; and the Acanthus family including ruellia (Ruellia nodiflora). Larvae feed singly. Adults and some larvae overwinter in southern areas. The pupa may not have a resting phase (diapause), as in many other butterflies.

The Common Buckeye was featured on the 2006 United States Postal Service 24-cent postage stamp.

Research

Butterfly Picture by Craig Glenn on Lantana in our back yard.

Thanks for stopping by!

In Memory of Jake

2010-11-11T19:56:00.002-05:00

Good-bye to one of our blogging family

Jake from "Jake and Ruths Photo Blog" has gone home to be with his Lord.

Jake was a wonderful photographer and I have enjoyed many of his works. I always knew there would be an inspiring word and beautiful photo on their site. My prayers go to Ruth and their family as they celebrate the life of one of God's own.

From their site:

Greetings Friends,
At about 4:25 PM jake went to meet his Lord and Savior.
It was a very peaceful passing,and my first words were"Thank-you Jesus".
This is what he wanted and we are content knowing that he is no longer struggling.
I will post further once we have made the arrangements.
Than-you for you love and prayers,we appreciate each one of you.
Ruth and Steve

Mystery Critter Wednesday 15 Solved

2010-11-11T04:00:00.002-05:00

Gila Monster

WOW Scooter is back! Nailed it early in the morning too. I really have to start making these harder. Scooter says he googled the strip colors and Gila Monster is what he found. Of course Gaelyn know without having to use the internet for help but it is first come first serve here at MCW! So come on over and pick up your t-shirt Scooter!

The Gila monster (pronounced /ˈhiːlə/, HEE-la), Heloderma suspectum, is a species of venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States and northerwestern Mexican state of Sonora. A heavy, slow-moving lizard, up to 60 centimetres (2.0 ft) long, the Gila monster is the only venomous lizard native to the United States and one of only two known species of venomous lizards in North America, the other being its close relative, the Mexican beaded lizard (H. horridum). Though the Gila monster is venomous, its sluggish nature means that it represents little threat to humans. However, it has earned a fearsome reputation and is sometimes killed by hikers and homeowners despite being protected by state law in Arizona and Nevada.

Venom is produced in modified salivary glands in the Gila monster's lower jaw, unlike snakes, whose venom is produced in the upper jaw. The Gila monster lacks the musculature to forcibly inject the venom; instead, the venom is propelled from the gland to the tooth by chewing. Capillary action brings the venom out of the tooth and into the victim. The teeth are loosely anchored, which allows them to be broken off and replaced throughout life. Gila monsters have been observed to flip over while biting the victim, presumably to aid the flow of the venom into the wound. Because the Gila monster's prey consists mainly of eggs, small animals, and otherwise "helpless" prey, it is thought that the Gila monster's venom evolved for defensive rather than for hunting use. A defensive use would explain the Gila monster's bright warning coloration.

Although the venom is a neurotoxin as toxic as that of a Coral Snake, H. suspectum produces only small amounts. The Gila monster's bite is normally not fatal to adult humans. There are no confirmed reports of fatalities after 1939, and those prior to that year are suspect due to the primitive dangerous "treatments." The Gila monster can bite quickly (especially by swinging its head sideways) and hold on tenaciously and painfully. If bitten, the victim may need to fully submerge the attacking lizard in water to break free from its bite. Symptoms of the bite include excruciating pain, edema, and weakness associated with a rapid drop in blood pressure. More than a dozen peptides and proteins have been isolated from the Gila monster's venom, including hyaluronidase, serotonin, phospholipase A2, and several kallikrein-like glycoproteins responsible for the pain and edema caused by a bite. Four potentially lethal toxins have been isolated from the Gila monster's venom, including horridum venom, which causes hemorrhage in internal organs and exophthalmos (bulging of the eyes), and helothermine, which causes lethargy, partial paralysis of the limbs, and hypothermia in rats. However, the constituents most focused on are the bioactive peptides, including helodermin, helospectin, exendin-3, and exendin-4. Most are similar in form to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which relaxes smooth muscle and regulates water and electrolyte secretion between the small and large intestines. These bioactive peptides are able to bind to VIP receptors in many different human tissues. One of these, helodermin, has been shown to inhibit the growth of lung cancer.

RESEARCH

Photograph by Craig Glenn at Busch Gardens Tampa.

Thanks for playing!

Be sure and visit WeLoveButterflies.com

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 15

2010-11-10T04:00:00.000-05:00

Mystery Critter Wednesday

Attention all Critter Mystery Buffs! Here is this weeks challenge. Again I have featured a Critter from Busch Gardens Tampa. He is not native to Central Florida and as far as I know Joan the Bug Lady doesn't have one in her hope chest!

Have fun and post your guess now. Watch out for Scooter and Joan as they are tricksters and only play for the prizes. This weeks prize is an old t-shirt that I have long held dear but Maureen says I have to sell it at the yard sale. So instead of trying to put a price on such a treasured item I have put it up for grabs here on my blog. No cheating now as the stakes are high!

Craig Glenn
Please visit WeLoveButterflies.com

Redhead Duck at Busch Gardens Tampa

2010-11-09T12:20:00.004-05:00

Redhead Duck

A big shout out to Jen over at "i used to hate birds" for helping me with the miss-identification of this beautiful male Redhead duck. I thought it was a female Lesser Scaup! Please pay Jen a visit and follow her beautiful nature blog! Thanks to Jen, I now have a new lifer!

The Redhead (Aythya americana) is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.

The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.

The breeding habitat is marshes and prairie potholes in western North America. Loss of nesting habitat has led to sharply declining populations. Females regularly lay eggs in the nests of other Redheads or other ducks, especially Canvasbacks. Redheads usually take new mates each year, starting to pair in late winter.

Following the breeding season, males go through a molt which leaves them flightless for almost a month. Before this happens, they leave their mates and move to large bodies of water, usually flying further north.

They overwinter in the southern and north-eastern United States, the Great Lakes region, northern Mexico and the Caribbean.

RESEARCH
Photograph by Craig Glenn at Busch Gardens Tampa

Thanks for stopping by,

Visit WeLoveButterflies.com

Bumblebee Buzz

2010-11-08T09:06:00.010-05:00

Bumble Bee or Bumblebee?

A bumblebee (also spelled as bumble bee) is any member of the bee genus Bombus, in the family Apidae. There are over 250 known species, existing primarily in the Northern Hemisphere although they are common in New Zealand and Tasmania.

Bumblebees are social insects that are characterised by black and yellow body hairs, often in bands. However, some species have orange or red on their bodies, or may be entirely black. Another obvious (but not unique) characteristic is the soft nature of the hair (long, branched setae), called pile, that covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy. They are best distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees by the form of the female hind leg, which is modified to form a corbicula: a shiny concave surface that is bare, but surrounded by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in similar bees, the hind leg is completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged into the hairs for transport).

Like their relatives the honey bees, bumblebees feed on nectar and gather pollen to feed their young.

Bumblebees form colonies. These colonies are usually much less extensive than those of honey bees. This is due to a number of factors including: the small physical size of the nest cavity, a single female is responsible for the initial construction and reproduction that happens within the nest, and the restriction of the colony to a single season (in most species). Often, mature bumblebee nests will hold fewer than 50 individuals. Bumblebee nests may be found within tunnels in the ground made by other animals, or in tussock grass. Bumblebees sometimes construct a wax canopy ("involucrum") over the top of their nest for protection and insulation. Bumblebees do not often preserve their nests through the winter, though some tropical species live in their nests for several years (and their colonies can grow quite large, depending on the size of the nest cavity). In temperate species, the last generation of summer includes a number of queens who overwinter separately in protected spots. The queens can live up to one year, possibly longer in tropical species.

Bumblebees are increasingly cultured for agricultural use as pollinators because they can pollinate plant species that other pollinators cannot by using a technique known as buzz pollination. For example, bumblebee colonies are often placed in greenhouse tomato production, because the frequency of buzzing that a bumblebee exhibits effectively releases tomato pollen.

The agricultural use of bumblebees is limited to pollination. Because bumblebees do not overwinter the entire colony, they are not obliged to stockpile honey, and are therefore not useful as honey producers.

One common, yet incorrect, assumption is that the buzzing sound (About this sound listen) of bees is caused by the beating of their wings. The sound is actually the result of the bee vibrating its flight muscles, and this can be achieved while the muscles are decoupled from the wings—a feature known in bees but not other insects. This is especially pronounced in bumblebees, as they must warm up their bodies considerably to get airborne at low ambient temperatures. Bumblebees have been known to reach an internal thoracic temperature of 30 °C (86 °F) using this method.

RESEARCH

Photographs by Craig Glenn on Lantana

Thanks for stopping by,

Please visit

WeLoveButterflies.com!

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on Lantana

2010-11-07T11:37:00.011-05:00

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

(click image to enlarge)

Here is so great information about this beautiful butterfly from Wiki.

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a species of swallowtail butterfly native to North America. It is one of the most familiar butterflies in the eastern United States.

Two species, the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis) and the Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis), are very similar to P. glaucus, and are hard to tell apart. The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail has a wingspan of 7.9 to 14 centimeters (3 to 5.5 in). The adult male is yellow, with black "tiger stripes". There are two morphs of adult females, a yellow one and a dark one. The yellow one is similar to the male, except there is a patch of blue on the hind wing. In the dark morph, the yellow areas are replaced by dark gray or black.

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail can be found in much of the eastern United States. It is generally common throughout its range, and can be found in various habitats, such as woodlands, woodland openings, woodland edges, fields, open areas, rivers, creeks, roadsides, gardens, urban parks, and city yards.

The female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail lays her green eggs singly on host plant leaves. Young caterpillars are brown and white, mimicking bird droppings. Older caterpillars are green, with two black, yellow, and blue eyespots on the thorax. It is also spotted with light blue on the abdomen. The caterpillar will turn brown just before pupating. It will reach a length of 5.5 centimeters (2.2 in). The chrysalis varies from a whitish color to dark brown. It is usually patched with green and other dark markings.

Learn more from Butterflies and Moths of North America.

Photographed by Craig Glenn

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

African White-backed Vulture at Busch Gardens

2010-11-06T04:00:00.002-04:00

African White-backed Vulture

The White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) is an Old World vulture in the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is closely related to the European Griffon Vulture, G. fulvus. Sometimes it is called African White-backed Vulture to distinguish it from the Oriental White-backed Vulture—nowadays usually called Indian White-rumped Vulture--to which it was formerly believed to be closely related.

The White-backed Vulture is a typical vulture, with only down feathers on the head and neck, very broad wings and short tail feathers. It has a white neck ruff. The adult’s whitish back contrasts with the otherwise dark plumage. Juveniles are largely dark. This is a medium-sized vulture; its body mass is 4.2 to 7.2 kilograms (9.3–16 lb), it is 94 cm (37 in) long and has a 218 cm (86 in) wingspan. White-backed Vulture, Gyps africanus

Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of animals which it finds by soaring over savannah. It also takes scraps from human habitations. It often moves in flocks. It breeds in trees on the savannah of west and east Africa, laying one egg. The population is mostly resident.

As it is rarer than previously believed, its conservation status was reassessed from Least Concern to Near Threatened in the 2007 IUCN Red List.

SOURCE
Photograph by Craig Glenn at Busch Gardens Tampa.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Snowy Egret at Busch Gardens Tampa

2010-11-05T04:00:00.000-04:00

Snowy Egret

The Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) is another graceful bird species in the Egret family of wading birds. Smaller in size than both the Common Egret and Great White Egret, Snowy Egrets achieve an average height of 22 to 26 inches, with a wingspan just over 3 ft. Snowy Egrets can be distinguished among the Egret family of wading birds by its exquisite "Snow White" plumage. The Snowy Egret can also be distinguished from other Egrets in this related family of wading birds by its smaller stature, black bill, and yellow feet. Also during mating season - by its yellow lores (the area around the upper mandible) which turns a reddish color during courtship.

SOURCE
Photograph by Craig at Busch Gardens Tampa

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Mystery Critter Wednesday 14 Solved

2010-11-04T04:00:00.004-04:00

Mandarin Duck

Congratulations to Naturalist Guy!

Welcome to my blog first, and thanks for showing Scooter (my little brother) and Joan (the bug lady) how this game is played!

According to the Naturalist Guy's site he was "raised by hyenas, accepted into 21 indigenous tribes- what do you expect? Kenneth E. Barnett (Kenny) is NaturalistGuy (NG)."

Once again welcome Kenny and we really hope you return to play again.

Please go pay Kenny a visit at his great Nature Site.

The Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata), or just Mandarin, is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. It is 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan.

The adult male is a striking and unmistakable bird. It has a red bill, large white crescent above the eye and reddish face and "whiskers". The breast is purple with two vertical white bars, and the flanks ruddy, with two orange "sails" at the back. The female is similar to female Wood Duck, with a white eye-ring and stripe running back from the eye, but is paler below, has a small white flank stripe, and a pale tip to its bill.

Unlike other species of ducks, most Mandarin drakes reunite with the hens they mated with along with their offsprings after the eggs have hatched and even share scout duties in watching the ducklings closely. However, even with both parents securing the ducklings, most of them do not survive to adulthood.

The species was once widespread in eastern Asia, but large-scale exports and the destruction of its forest habitat have reduced populations in eastern Russia and in China to below 1,000 pairs in each country; Japan, however, is thought to still hold some 5,000 pairs.

Specimens frequently escape from collections, and in the 20th century a feral population numbering about 1,000 pairs was established in Great Britain. Although this is of great conservational significance, the birds are not protected in the UK since the species is not native there. There is also a free-flying feral population of several hundred mandarins in Sonoma County, California. This population is the result of several mandarin ducks escaping from captivity, then going on to reproduce in the wild.

In the wild, Mandarin Ducks breed in densely wooded areas near shallow lakes, marshes or ponds. They nest in cavities in trees close to water and during the spring, the females lay their eggs in the tree's cavity after mating. The males take no part in the incubation, simply leaving the female to secure the eggs on her own. However, unlike other species of ducks, the male does not completely abandon the female, leaving only temporarily until the ducklings have hatched. Shortly after the ducklings hatch, their mother flies to the ground and coaxes the ducklings to leap from the nest. After all of the ducklings are out of the tree, they will follow their mother to a nearby body of water where they would usually encounter the father, who will rejoin the family and protect the ducklings with the mother. If the father isn't found then it is likely that he may have deceased during his temporary leave. The Asian populations are migratory, overwintering in lowland eastern China and southern Japan.

Mandarins feed by dabbling or walking on land. They mainly eat plants and seeds, especially beechmast. They feed mainly near dawn or dusk, perching in trees or on the ground during the day.

Mandarins may form small flocks in winter.

Mandarin Ducks, which are referred to by the Chinese as Yuan-yang and yang respectively stand for male and female Mandarin Ducks.

In the eyes of ancient Chinese, Mandarin Ducks form a life-time couple, unlike many other species of ducks. Hence they are frequently featured in Oriental art and are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity.

A Chinese proverb for loving couples uses the Mandarin Duck as a metaphor: "Two mandarin ducks playing in water". The Mandarin Duck symbol is also used in Chinese weddings, because in traditional Chinese lore they symbolize wedded bliss and fidelity.

SOURCE
Photo by Craig at Busch Gardens Tampa

Thanks for playing,

Craig Glenn

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 14

2010-11-03T04:00:00.001-04:00

Mystery Critter

This weeks mystery critter should be a little harder than last week, so I am giving you a little clue. This critter also lives at Busch Gardens Tampa and is not native to Central Florida, so think globally.

Good luck and have fun!

Craig Glenn

Wood Stork at Busch Gardens Tampa

2010-11-02T04:00:00.000-04:00

Wood Stork

Wood Stork Migration

Not a true migrant; movements appear to be response to local environmental conditions: Moves from areas with poor food supply to areas with better feeding conditions. Exhibits 2 types of movement: (1) Displays extensive dispersal after breeding season, followed by movement south in late fall and early winter into Florida. (2) After large nesting failures or when no nesting is initiated, because of poor foraging conditions in s. Florida, many storks move north prior to beginning of summer rainy season. In latter situation, adults and immature birds depart, leaving young in nest to die or follow later (JCO).

No known migration over Caribbean; breeding populations on Cuba and Hispaniola are presumably resident. Storks use thermals for soaring flight for long-distance movements. Lack of thermals over water may restrict southern movement from Florida and movement among islands in Caribbean.

Little known about movements of populations in Mexico and Central and South America. Large numbers nesting during annual dry seasons in Llanos of Venezuela and Usumacinta wetlands of s. Mexico disappear from these regions during rainy seasons (B. Thomas pers. comm., JCO). Other populations probably exhibit postbreeding dispersal, but this is largely undocumented.

SOURCE
Photograph by Craig at Busch Gardens Tampa

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Roseate Spoonbill at Busch Gardens Tampa

2010-11-01T04:00:00.002-04:00

Roseate Spoonbill

A bizarre wading bird of the southern coasts, the Roseate Spoonbill uses its odd bill to strain small food items out of the water. Its bright pink coloring leads many Florida tourists to think they have seen a flamingo. Listen to their call.

Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornithidae
Genus/Species: Ajaia ajaja
Roseate Spoonbill

Description:

The Roseate Spoonbill, a large wading bird with pink plumage and a distinctive spatulate bill, is one of the most striking birds found in North America. They stand 85 cm tall and have a 1.3 m wingspan. The bare skin of the adult's head has a greenish tinge with a darker black band around the base of the skull. The eyes and legs are red. The feathers of the neck, chest, and upper back are white. The upper wing coverts are red, the tail feathers are orange-pink, and the rest of the body and wing feathers are pale pink. The unique pale grey bill is long, flattened and spoonlike in appearance. Immature birds are paler in color and have feathered heads.

Distribution and Habitat:

Breeding in the United States is restricted to coastal Texas, southwestern Louisiana, and southern Florida. Their breeding range extends south from Florida through the Greater Antilles to Argentina and Chile. They inhabit marshes, swamps, ponds, and rivers within their range, feeding in both fresh and saltwater wetlands. Highly gregarious, Roseate Spoonbills breed and travel in flocks.

Diet:

Spoonbills consume a varied diet of small fish, amphibians, aquatic invertebrates, and some plant material. They feed in the early morning and evening hours by wading through shallow water with their bills partially submerged. As a Roseate Spoonbill walks it swings its head back and forth in a sideways motion. When the bird feels a prey item it snaps its bill closed, pulls the prey out of the water, and swallows it.

SOURCE
Photography by Craig at Busch Gardens Tampa

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

White Ibis at Busch Gardens Tampa

2010-10-30T22:57:00.005-04:00

White Ibis

I just love the blue eyes of the White Ibis.

Did you Know?

When feeding, White Ibis often give a soft, grunting croo, croo, croo as they forage. They may fly up to 15 miles a day in search of food.

Around their colonies, ibises eat crabs and crayfish, which in turn devour quantities of fish eggs. By keeping down the numbers of crayfish, the birds help increase fish populations.

The main conservation concerns for white ibis are hunting and habitat loss. Birds and eggs are hunted for food. When the colony is disturbed by hunting, adults will leave their nests and the young may die.

A group of ibises has many collective nouns, including a "congregation", "stand", and "wedge" of ibises.

Did you know SOURCE

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Scarlet Ibis

2010-10-29T06:59:00.000-04:00

Scarlet Ibis at Busch Gardens Tampa

The Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) is a species of ibis that inhabits tropical South America and also Trinidad and Tobago. It is the national bird of Trinidad and is featured on the Trinidad and Tobago coat of arms along with Tobago's national bird, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca.

Adults are 56–61 cm long and weigh 650g. They are completely scarlet, except for its black wing tips. They nest in trees, laying two to four eggs. Their diet is fish, frogs, reptiles and crustaceans. A juvenile Scarlet Ibis is grey and white; as it grows the ingestion of red crabs in the tropical swamps gradually produces the characteristic scarlet plumage.

The life span of Scarlet Ibis is approximately 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

This species is very closely related to the American White Ibis and is sometimes considered conspecific with it.

While the species may have occurred as a natural vagrant in southern Florida in the late 19th century, all recent reports of the species in North America have been of introduced or escaped birds. Eggs from Trinidad were placed in White Ibis nests in Hialeah Park in 1962, and the resulting population hybridised with the native ibis, producing "pink ibises" that are still occasionally seen.

Reference
Photo by Craig Glenn

Thanks for stopping by.

Mystery Critter Wednesday Solved 13

2010-10-28T06:00:00.002-04:00

Asian Elephant at Busch Gardens

Thanks for playing everyone. Scooter takes the prize once again. Check's in the mail!

Craig

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 13

2010-10-27T06:30:00.001-04:00

Mystery Critter

I am sure I made this much too simple, but in the spirit of resurrecting my Mystery Critter series, here we go.

The poster with the most accurate and detailed identification of this critter will be the winner!

Have fun and thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Great Migrations - National Geographic

2010-10-26T17:35:00.002-04:00

Great Migrations

Don't miss this show! I know I wont. I think they might be using some of my photos.... no not really!

Great Migrations
PREMIERES
NOV 7th, 2010 - 8PM et/pt
A Global Television Event

American Flamingo

2010-10-25T18:42:00.004-04:00

Flamingo at Busch Gardens Tampa

The American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) is a large species of flamingo closely related to the Greater Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Greater Flamingo, but that treatment is now widely viewed (e.g. by the American and British Ornithologists' Unions) as incorrect due to a lack of evidence. It has also been known as the Caribbean Flamingo, but the species' presence in the Galápagos makes that name problematic.

The American Flamingo breeds in the Galápagos Islands, coastal Colombia, Venezuela and nearby islands, besides the Guyanas and Cape Orange in Brazil. It also breeds in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, and in the northern Caribbean in the Bahamas, Hispaniola, Cuba and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Most sightings in southern Florida are usually considered to be escapees, although at least one bird banded as a chick in the Yucatán Peninsula has been sighted in Everglades National Park, and others may be genuine wanderers from Cuba.

Its preferred habitats are similar to that of its relatives: saline lagoons, mudflats, and shallow brackish coastal or inland lakes. Like all flamingos, it lays a single chalky white egg on a mud mound, between May and August; incubation until hatching takes from 28 to 32 days; both parents brood the young for a period of up to 6 years when they reach sexual maturity. Their life expectancy of 40 years is one of the longest in birds.

The American Flamingo is 120–140 cm (47–55 in) in length; males weigh 2.8 kg (6.2 lb) and females 2.2 kg (4.9 lb) kg. Most of its plumage is pink, giving rise to its earlier name of Rosy Flamingo and differentiating adults from the much paler Greater Flamingo. The wing coverts are red, and the primary and secondary flight feathers are black. It is the only flamingo which naturally inhabits North America.

The bill is pink and white with a restricted black tip, and the legs are entirely pink. The call is a goose-like honking.

The American Flamingo is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) applies.

Reference
Photo taken by Craig Glenn

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig

Long-tailed Skipper

2010-10-24T12:58:00.007-04:00

Long-tailed Skipper

The Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus) is a spread-winged skipper butterfly found throughout tropical and subtropical America, south to Argentina and north into the southern part of the United States of America. It cannot live in areas with prolonged frost. It is a showy butterfly, with wings of light brown tinted with iridescent blue, and two long tails extending from the hindwings. The robust body is light blue dorsally. It has a large head, prominent eyes, and a wingspan between 4.5 and 6 centimeters.

It lays white or yellow eggs, singly or in small clusters, which hatch into a caterpillar with a yellowish body and large, dark head. After two to three weeks, the caterpillar forms a pupa. Its pupa is contained in a rolled leaf and covered in fine bluish hairs. The pupa stage may last from one to three weeks, after which the adult emerges.

The caterpillar of this skipper is a common pest of crops, especially beans, in the southern United States. For this reason, it is sometimes called the bean leafroller in that area. The caterpillars are also known to attack ornamental plants in the legume family such as wisteria and butterfly pea. The caterpillars feed on leaves and then roll the leaves around themselves, lining the cavity with silk, to pupate. The adults feed on nectar from flowers.

Reference
Butterfly picture by Craig Glenn

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Wood Stork

2010-10-17T21:43:00.005-04:00

Wood Stork

Taken at Busch Gardens

Wood storks are tall, white denizens of freshwater or brackish wetlands and swamps. They can be identified by their long legs, featherless heads, and prominent bills.

These waders feed on minnows in shallow water by using their bills to perform a rare and effective fishing technique. The stork opens its bill and sticks it into the water, then waits for the touch of an unfortunate fish that wanders too close. When it feels a fish, the stork can snap its bill shut in as little as 25 milliseconds—an incredibly quick reaction time matched by few other vertebrates.

The storks prefer to employ this technique in isolated pools created by tides or falling freshwater levels, where fish congregate en masse. In some areas, such as Florida, breeding begins with the dry season that produces these optimal fishing conditions.

Though wood storks eat small fish, they eat a lot of them. An average nesting pair, with two fledglings, may eat over 400 pounds (181 kilograms) of fish during a single breeding season.

Wood storks are social animals. They feed in flocks and nest in large rookeries—sometimes several pairs to a single tree. Females lay two to five eggs, which both sexes incubate for about one month. Young fledge about two months after hatching.

Wood storks breed in the southeastern United States and are the only stork to breed in the U.S. They also breed in Central and South America from Mexico to Argentina. Though U.S. populations are endangered—probably because of the loss of optimal feeding habitat—the South American stork populations are in better shape.

Research from National Geographic.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

Pileated Woodpecker

2010-10-14T20:32:00.005-04:00

Pileated Woodpecker

(click to enlarge)

This is a new photo lifer for me!

The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in most of North America. Its loud ringing calls and huge, rectangular excavations in dead trees announce its presence in forests across the continent.

These birds mainly eat insects, especially carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae, fruits, and nuts. They often chip out large and roughly rectangular holes in trees while searching out insects.

Pileated Woodpeckers raise their young every year in a hole in the tree. In April the hole made by the male attracts a female for mating and raising their young. Once the brood is raised the Pileated Woodpeckers abandon the hole and will not use it the next year.

These holes, made similarly by all woodpeckers, when abandoned provide good homes in future years for many forest song birds. Ecologically, the entire woodpecker family is important to the well being of many other bird species.

They usually excavate large nests in the cavities of dead trees creating habitat for other large cavity nesters. A Pileated Woodpecker pair stays together on its territory all year round. It will defend the territory in all seasons, but will tolerate floaters during the winter.

The Pileated Woodpecker also nests in nest boxes about 15 ft off the ground.

Pileated Woodpeckers make such large holes in dead trees the holes can cause a small tree to break in half. The roost of a Pileated Woodpecker usually has multiple entrance holes. Pileated Woodpeckers have been observed to move eggs that have fallen out of the nest to another site, a rare habit in birds. The cavity is unlined except for wood chips. "Both parents incubate three to five eggs for 15 or 16 days. The young may take a month to fledge."

Research from Wiki and All about Birds.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

The Female Downny Woodpecker

2010-10-05T17:28:00.003-04:00

Downy Woodpecker

(click to enlarge)

Did you know:

Downy Woodpeckers hitch around tree limbs and trunks or drop into tall weeds to feed on galls, moving more acrobatically than larger woodpeckers. Their rising-and-falling flight style is distinctive of many woodpeckers. In spring and summer, Downy Woodpeckers make lots of noise, both with their shrill whinnying call and by drumming on trees.

Did you know source.

Thanks for stopping by,

Craig Glenn

The Male Downy Woodpecker

2010-10-03T19:44:00.004-04:00

Downy Woodpecker

(Click image to enlarge)

The Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens, is the smallest woodpecker in North America. Adults are mainly black on the upper parts and wings, with a white back, throat and belly and white spotting on the wings. There is a white bar above the eye and one below. They have a black tail with white outer feathers barred with black. Adult males have a red patch on the back of the head whereas juvenile birds display a red cap.

It is virtually identical in plumage pattern to the much larger Hairy Woodpecker, but it can be distinguished from the Hairy by the presence of black spots on its white tail feathers. These species are not very closely related, and they are likely to be separated in different genera (Weibel & Moore, 2005; Moore et al., 2006); the outward similarity is a spectacular example of convergent evolution. Why they evolved this way cannot be explained with confidence; it may be relevant that the species exploit rather different-sized foodstuffs and do not compete very much ecologically.

Research from Wiki.

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Craig Glenn

Florida Wolf Spider with Young

2010-09-26T14:05:00.005-04:00

Florida Wolf Spider

(click to enlarge)

Wolf spiders are large, hairy spiders that are typically mottled brown to gray in color with various markings or lines. They also have two large, forward-looking eyes in the middle of their face.

Size:
Range from ½ to 2-inches in length.

Behavior:
Most wolf spiders have stout bodies and long, thick legs. Their bodies are low to the ground even when walking or running, giving them the appearance of continually being on the prowl. As skilled daytime hunters, their dull coloring helps to camouflage them as they hunt along the ground. “Wolf spider” is a common name for any of a group of ground-dwelling hunting spiders that are not associated with webs. There are more than 2000 species and are large enough to sometimes be mistaken with tarantulas.

The hunting strategies of Florida wolf spiders are perhaps the most diverse of any spider group. Many are active, wandering hunters during the day in sunny areas along the ground and in vegetation; others hunt at night and remain in silk-lined “retreats” during the day. Others live and hunt in aquatic environments, walking on the surface of ponds or on submerged vegetation. Some wolf spiders dig burrows in which they lie in wait for passing insects and other prey. Of the Florida spiders that dig burrows, some add a moveable trap door at the burrow entrance while others build an elevated lookout point.

The female wolf spider lays eggs in a large sac, which can often be as large as her own body. She attaches the egg sac to her body, and carries it with her until the eggs hatch. She then tears open the egg sac and the newly hatched spiders climb onto her back where they remain for up to a week. They do not usually breed indoors or in homes.

Research from FloridaBugs.com!

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Craig Glenn

Bat

2010-09-25T20:26:00.004-04:00

Holy Hairy Mammal Batman!

Found this guy on our lawn umbrella today.

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Craig Glenn

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly Part 2

2010-09-23T17:37:00.006-04:00

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

(click images to enlarge)

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Craig Glenn

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

2010-09-22T07:00:00.001-04:00

(click to enlarge)

The female Giant Swallowtail Butterfly.

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Craig Glenn

Bug in Hand

2010-09-21T15:29:00.002-04:00

(click to enlarge)

Anybody know what this critter is? Bug Lady?

I saved this guy from the pool. No idea what he is.

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Craig Glenn

The American Nightingale Part Two

2010-08-06T22:59:00.002-04:00

The American Nightingale

From Misc

The American Nightingale

I am always fascinated and captivated by this bird. Not because it strikingly beautiful or a fierce bird of prey, but because of it's simple and complex, small but brave, and vocal but deceiving. Does this make any since? What do you think of the Mockingbird?

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Craig Glenn

Eastern Pondhawk Female

2010-07-25T05:59:00.000-04:00

Eastern Pondhawk

Female

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Craig Glenn

Four Spotted Pennant Dragonfly

2010-07-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

Four Spotted Pennant

Brachymesia Gravida

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Craig Glenn

Mallard Talking

2010-07-23T06:00:00.003-04:00

Mallard Duck

Yakety Yak, don't talk back!

(click image to enlarge)

Yakety Yak

"Yakety Yak" is a song written, produced, and arranged by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller for The Coasters and released on Atlantic Records in 1958, spending seven weeks as number one on List of number one rhythm and blues hits and a week as number one on the Hot 100 pop list. This song was one of a string of singles released by The Coasters between 1957 and 1959 that dominated the charts, one of the biggest performing acts of the rock and roll era.

The song is a "playlet", a word Stoller used for the glimpses into teenage life that characterized the songs Lieber and Stoller wrote and produced.The lyrics describe the listing of household chores to a kid, presumably a teenager, the teenager's response (yakety yak) and the parent's retort (don't talk back), an experience very familiar to a white teenager of the day. Leiber has said the Coasters’ portrayed “a white kid’s view of a black person’s conception of white society.”

The serio-comic street-smart “playlets” etched out by the songwriters were sung by the Coasters with a sly clowning humor. The screaming saxophone of King Curtis filling in hot, honking bursts in the up tempo doo-wop style. The group was openly theatrical in style -- they were not pretending to be expressing their own experience.

The threatened punishment for not taking out the garbage and sweeping the floor in the song's humorous lyrics:

"You ain't gonna rock and roll no more,"

And the refrain:

"Yakety yak, Don't talk back."

Beneath the humor, Leiber and Stoller songs often made incisive points about American culture, largely by lampooning racial stereotypes.

Source Wiki. Photographed by Craig Glenn at Cranes Roost Park.

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Craig Glenn

Monarch Butterfly

2010-07-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
Female

(click image to enlarge)

Did you Know:

The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae), in the family Nymphalidae. It is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. Since the 19th century, it has been found in New Zealand, and in Australia since 1871 where it is called the Wanderer. In Europe it is resident in the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and is found as an occasional migrant in Western Europe. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 8.9–10.2 centimetres (3½–4 in). (The Viceroy butterfly has a similar size, color, and pattern, but can be distinguished by an extra black stripe across the hind wing.) Female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings, and the males have a spot called the "androconium" in the center of each hind wing from which pheromones are released. Males are also slightly larger.

The Monarch is famous for its southward migration and northward return in summer in the Americas which spans the life of three to four generations of the butterfly.

Did you know research from Wiki. Photographed by Craig Glenn in my front yard on Lantana.

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Craig Glenn

More Fiery Skipper Photo's

2010-07-20T20:48:00.004-04:00

Fiery Skipper

Did you know:

All adult true skippers have six well developed legs. Their eggs are tiny, usually less than .1mm. Most skipper caterpillars are green and tapered, and the neck appears constricted. The caterpillars weave silk and leaves into a daytime shelter for protection. Most pupate in loosely woven cocoons. The chrysalises are often coated with a powder or bloom. Chrysalis and caterpillars may overwinter.

Skipper butterflies can be divided into five subfamilies:

Pyrginae, or spread-wing skippers. These butterflies bask with their wings spread open flat, although there are a few that sit with the wings folded over their back. The cloudy wings sit with their wings partly open. Most spreadwings are patterned in gray, black and white. Caterpillars feed on many different types of plants, especially legumes.
Grass Skippers, subfamily Hesperiinae constitute the largest grouping, and perhaps the most challenging for those seeking to identify specimens. They are smaller than the spread-wing skippers, and many are patterned with yellow, orange and black. These erratic flyers sit with their forewings and hind wings at different angles - I think the configuration resembles an F-15 Eagle fighter jet. Grass skipper larvae feed mostly on ... guess what? Yep. Grasses.
Giant Skippers, subfamily Megathyminae includes the largest skippers. These are rare butterflies, even where there host plants, the Agaves and Yuccas are common. They are very fast and powerful flyers.
Skipperlings, subfamily Heteropterinae includes only a handful of small species living in the north and west. They lack the narrow extension (apiculus) of the antenna club. Many skipperlings sit with the wings open flat. They are often lumped into the grass skipper family. Note: Some skippers are called skipperlings but do not actually belong to this subfamily.
Firetips, subfamily Pyrrhopyginae. Only one species of this mainly subtropical group inhabits North America: the Atraxes skipper.

Did you know research from Cirrus Image. Photographed on 7/14/2010 by Craig Glenn in my front yard on Lantana.

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Craig Glenn

Great Blue Heron up Close

2010-07-18T18:13:00.007-04:00

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

(click image to enlarge)

Did you know:

The tall, long-legged great blue heron is the most common and largest of North American herons.

Great blue herons are waders, typically seen along coastlines, in marshes, or near the shores of ponds or streams. They are expert fishers. Herons snare their aquatic prey by walking slowly, or standing still for long periods of time and waiting for fish to come within range of their long necks and blade-like bills. The deathblow is delivered with a quick thrust of the sharp bill, and the prey is swallowed whole. Great blue herons have been known to choke to death by attempting to swallow fish too large for their long, S-shaped necks. Though they are best known as fishers, mice constitute a large part of their diet, and they also eat insects and other small creatures.

Great blue herons' size (3.2 to 4.5 feet/1 to 1.4 meters) and wide wingspan (5.5 to 6.6 feet/1.7 to 2 meters) make them a joy to see in flight. They can cruise at some 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) an hour.

Though great blue herons hunt alone, they typically nest in colonies. They prefer tall trees, but sometimes nest in low shrubs. Females produce two to seven eggs, which both parents protect and incubate. Chicks can survive on their own by about two months of age.

The all-white color morph found in the Caribbean and southern Florida is often called the great white heron, but it is in fact the same species.

Did you know research from National Geographic. Photographed by Craig Glenn at Cranes Roost Park in Uptown Altamonte.

Mallard Hen

2010-07-17T20:57:00.002-04:00

Mallard

(click image to enlarge)

How pretty is this lady?

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Craig Glenn

Little Blue Heron with the goods

2010-07-17T14:39:00.003-04:00

Little Blue Heron

(click image to enlarge)

M, Sara, and I were taking a walk around Cranes Roost Park and doing a little birding. This Little Blue Heron snatched up some bread and took off.

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Craig Glenn

Fiery Skipper

2010-07-17T00:22:00.005-04:00

Fiery Skipper

Hylephila phyleus (Drury, 1773)

(click image to enlarge)

I learned something new today! This is a Skipper. I never heard of such a thing. Well I must admit the first thing I thought of was "The Skipper and Mary Ann", ya know, Gilligan's Island??? Anyway, I took this photo of a Skipper on the Lantana in M and I's front yard but had no idea what it was. So I email the photo to the world renowned "Bug Lady" who told me straight away it was a Skipper! She made me look it up though and I think I have identified it correctly as a Fiery Skipper. You can learn more about the Fiery Skipper here.

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Craig Glenn

White Ibis

2010-07-14T22:03:00.002-04:00

White Ibis up close and personal at Cranes Roost Park in Uptown Altamonte!

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Craig Glenn

Black Swan

2010-07-13T06:00:00.003-04:00

Did you Know:

Bearing

When swimming, black swans hold their necks arched or erect, and often carry their feathers or wings raised in an aggressive display. In flight, a wedge of black swans will form as a line or a V, with the individual birds flying strongly with undulating long necks, making whistling sounds with their wings and baying, bugling or trumpeting calls.

Nesting and reproduction

Generally, black swans nest in the wetter winter months (February to September), occasionally in large colonies. A typical clutch contains 4 to 8 greenish-white eggs that are incubated for about 35–40 days. After hatching, the cygnets are tended by the parents for about 6 months until fledging, and may ride on their parent's back for longer trips into deeper water.

A black swan nest is essentially a large heap or mound of reeds, grasses and weeds between 1 and 1.5 metres (3-4½ feet) in diameter and up to 1 metre high, in shallow water or on islands. A nest is reused every year, restored or rebuilt as needed. Both parents share the care of the nest. Like other swans, the black swan is largely monogamous, pairing for life (about 6% divorce rate). Recent studies have shown that around a third of all broods exhibit extra-pair paternity. An estimated one-quarter of all pairings are homosexual, mostly between males. They steal nests, or form temporary threesomes with females to obtain eggs, driving away the female after she lays the eggs.

Did you know research from Wiki. Photograph taken by Craig Glenn at Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando.

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Craig Glenn

Anhinga

2010-07-12T06:00:00.002-04:00

Anhinga

Did you know:

The Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga), sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word "anhinga" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.

It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of 85 cm (35 in), a wingspan of 117 cm (45 in), and a weight of 1,350 g (48 oz). It is a dark-plumaged piscivore with a very long neck, and often swims with only the neck above water. When swimming in this style the name Snakebird is apparent, since only the colored neck appears above water the bird looks like a snake ready to strike.

The Anhinga is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to Indian (Anhinga melanogaster), African (A. rufa), and Australian (A. novaehollandiae) Darters.

Unlike ducks, the Anhinga is not able to waterproof its feathers using oil produced by the uropygial gland. Consequently, feathers can become waterlogged, making the bird barely buoyant. However, this allows it to dive easily and search for underwater prey, such as fish and amphibians. It can stay down for significant periods.

When necessary, the Anhinga will dry out its wings and feathers. It will perch for long periods with its wings spread to allow the drying process, as do cormorants. If it attempts to fly while its wings are wet, it has great difficulty getting off the water and takes off by flapping vigorously while 'running' on the water. Anhinga will often search for food in small groups.

Did you know research from Wiki.

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Craig Glenn

Great Egret

2010-07-11T12:46:00.004-04:00

Did you Know:

The Great Egret is a large bird with all-white plumage that can reach one meter in height and weigh up to 950 grams (2.1 lb). It is thus only slightly smaller than the Great Blue or Grey Heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the Great Egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Males and females are identical in appearance; juveniles look like non-breeding adults. It is a common species, usually easily seen. It has a slow flight, with its neck retracted. This is characteristic of herons and bitterns, and distinguishes them from storks, cranes, ibises and spoonbills, which extend their necks in flight.

The Great Egret is not normally a vocal bird; at breeding colonies, however, it often gives a loud croaking cuk cuk cuk.

Did you know research from Wiki. Photographed by Craig Glenn at Cranes Roost Park on 7/10/2010.

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Craig Glenn

Little Blue Heron

2010-07-10T13:11:00.003-04:00

Did you know:

The Little Blue Heron is actually white for the first year! Here are some cool facts.

Cool Facts

The Snowy Egret tolerates the close proximity of white Little Blue Herons more than that of dark Little Blue Herons. A white Little Blue Heron catches more fish in the company of Snowy Egrets than when alone. This relationship may be one reason why young Little Blue Herons stay white for a year.
Another advantage of white plumage is that young Little Blue Herons are more readily able to integrate into mixed-species flocks of white herons, thus gaining a measure of protection against predators.

Did you know research from All About Birds. Photograph taken by Craig Glenn in Maitland Florida.

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Craig Glenn

Swallowtail Butterfly

2010-07-08T13:46:00.004-04:00

(click to enlarge)

Need help with ID...

We have Lantana flowers in both the backyard and front. These plants are great for attracting butterflies! Butterfly plants add a beautiful touch to your environment and bring nature to you.

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Craig Glenn

Osprey

2010-07-04T06:00:00.003-04:00

(click to enlarge)

Did you Know:

The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching 60 centimetres (24 in) in length with a 2m wingspan. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts, with a black eye patch and wings.

The Osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.

As its other common name suggests, the Osprey's diet consists almost exclusively of fish. It has evolved specialised physical characteristics and exhibits unique behaviour to assist in hunting and catching prey. As a result of these unique characteristics, it has been given its own taxonomic genus, Pandion and family, Pandionidae. Four subspecies are usually recognised. Despite its propensity to nest near water, the Osprey is not a sea-eagle.

Did you know research from Wiki. Photo taken on Sanibel Island Florida.

Bird Information
Bird of Prey

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Craig Glenn

Great Blue Heron

2010-07-03T11:14:00.008-04:00

The Great Blue Heron

(Click to enlarge)

Did you know:

The primary food for Great Blue Heron is small fish, though it is also known to opportunistically feed on a wide range of shrimps, crabs, aquatic insects, rodents, other small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and small birds. Herons locate their food by sight and usually swallow it whole. Herons have been known to choke on prey that is too large.^[9] It is generally a solitary feeder. Individuals usually forage while standing in water, but will also feed in fields or drop from the air, or a perch, into water. As large wading birds, Great Blue Herons are able to feed in deeper waters, and thus are able to harvest from niche areas not open to most other heron species.

It feeds in shallow water or at the water's edge during both the night and the day, but especially around dawn and dusk. It uses its long legs to wade through shallow water, and spears fish or frogs with its long, sharp bill.

Did you know research from Wiki. Photo's taken at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs Florida.

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Craig Glenn

Tricolored Heron

2010-07-02T21:48:00.007-04:00

(click to enlarge)

Did you know:

The Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) formerly known in North America as the Louisiana Heron, is a small heron. It is a resident breeder from the Gulf states of the USA and northern Mexico south through Central America and the Caribbean to central Brazil and Peru. There is some post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range.

Tricolored Heron's breeding habitat is sub-tropical swamps. It nests in colonies, often with other herons, usually on platforms of sticks in trees or shrubs. In each clutch, 3-7 eggs are typically laid.

This species is about 56 cm (22 in) long, with a 96 cm (38 in) wingspan and weighs 350 g (12 oz). It is a medium-large, long-legged, long-necked heron with a long pointed yellowish or greyish bill with a black tip. The legs and feet are dark.

Adults have a blue-grey head, neck, back and upperwings, with a white line along the neck. The belly is white. In breeding plumage, they have long blue filamentous plumes on the head and neck, and buff ones on the back.

Tricolored Heron stalks its prey in shallow or deeper water, often running as it does so. It eats fish, crustaceans, reptiles and insects.

Did you Know Source

Photo's taken at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs Florida

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Craig Glenn

Bumble Bee in Lantana

2010-06-30T06:00:00.000-04:00

(click to enlarge)

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Craig Glenn

Grey Squirrel

2010-06-29T13:00:00.000-04:00

We feed our squirrels good around here.

(click to enlarge)

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Craig Glenn

Juvenile Red Shouldered Hawk

2010-06-28T13:51:00.007-04:00

Birds of Prey

This is a Juvenile Red Shouldered Hawk enjoying a mole cricket in our yard.

(Click to enlarge)

I found this guy right outside our office window.

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Craig Glenn

See the beauty in every day

2010-06-23T20:37:00.008-04:00

Hello friends! Did you miss me?

Click to enlarge

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Craig Glenn

Sanibel Bee

2010-05-07T13:00:00.000-04:00

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Craig

Sanibel Butterfly

2010-05-06T13:00:00.003-04:00

Gulf Fritillary

The Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly, Agraulis vanillae, is a striking, bright orange butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Heliconiinae. These were formerly classified in a separate family, the Heliconiidae or longwing butterflies, and like other longwings this species does have long, rather narrow wings in comparison with other butterflies. It is not closely related to the true fritillaries. It is a medium to large butterfly, with a wingspan of 6–9.5 cm (2.4–3.7 in). Its underwings are buff, with large silvery spots. It takes its name from migrating flights of the butterflies sometimes seen over the Gulf of Mexico.

The Gulf Fritillary is commonly seen in parks and gardens, as well as in open country. Its range extends from Argentina through Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean to the southern United States, as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area on the west coast. It is occasionally found farther north in the US.

The larva or caterpillar of the Gulf Fritillary grows to approximately 4 cm (1.6 in) in length and is bright orange in color and covered in rows of black spines on its head and back. The spines are soft to the touch and do not sting. However, the larvae are poisonous if eaten, as the bright coloration advertises. The larvae feed exclusively on species of passion flower such as Maypop (Passiflora incarnata), Yellow Passionflower (P. lutea) and Running Pop (P. foetida).

Their toxic flesh provides Gulf Fritillary caterpillars with excellent protection from predators. Many birds avoid them. Some specialized insects are observed feeding on them, however, and larger caterpillars sometimes eat smaller ones. This species belongs to the "orange" Batesian mimicry complex.

The chrysalis is approximately 3 cm (1.2 in) long; it is mottled brown and looks like a dry leaf.

Cultivation of passion flowers in gardens has enabled the Gulf Fritillary to extend its range, for example into new areas of southern and northern California.

RESEARCH from Wiki.

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Please visit WeLoveButterlfies.com

Snowy Egret at Sanibel Island

2010-05-05T13:39:00.000-04:00

Snowy Egret

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Craig

Craig's Bird Watching and Nature Blog

Red Shouldered Hawk in Flight

Scrub Jay

Oleander Moth or Polka-Dot Wasp Moth

Botany Photographs from Lyonia Preserve

Florida Scrub Jay Part I

Scrub Jay

Eastern Carpenter Bee Male

Grasshopper Rescue

Honey Bee on Lantana

Honey Bee

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Eastern Carpenter Bee - Male

Boat-Tailed Grackles Bathing

Female

Male

Female Cardinal

Cassius Blue Butterfly

Dove Resting

Red Shouldered Hawk at Cranes Roost

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly II

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

Lake Harris Florida

Sunset

Bee's on Lantana II

Oleander Moth - Polka-Dot Wasp Moth

Don't Worry, BEE Happy

Monarch Butterfly Laying her Eggs

Monarch Butterfly

Watch Full Screen Slideshow!

Eastern Amberwing

Eastern Amberwing Dragonfly

Metallic Green Bee on Lantana

Metallic Green Bee

Honey Bees

Honey Bee on Lantana

Fiery Skipper

Sunrise at Haleakala Maui

Baby Anole

Brown Anole

Unknown Dragon Fly - Update

Needham's SkimmerLibellula needhami

Eastern Pondhawk Male Dragonfly

Eastern Pondhawk

Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly

Spicebush Swallowtail

Toe Eating Blue Jay

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Immature Male Transitional

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Monarch Caterpillar

Deer Guards Nest

Decorah Eagles

Brown Pelican Take Off

Brown Pelican

Mystery Critter Wednesday 17 Solved

Greater Kudu

Bumblebee on Lantana

Bumblebee on Lantana

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 17

Mystery Critter Wednesday

Monarch Laying Egg

Monarch Butterfly

Gulf Fritillary on Lantana

Gulf Fritillary

Monarch Butterfly on Milkweed

Monarch Butterfly

Mystery Critter Wednesday 16 Solved

Giraffe Topiary

Mystery Critter Wednesday Round 16

Mystery Critter Wednesday

Eastern Gray Squirrel in Magnolia

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Common Buckeye on Lantana

Common Buckeye

In Memory of Jake

Good-bye to one of our blogging family

Mystery Critter Wednesday 15 Solved

Gila Monster

Needham's Skimmer
Libellula needhami