Vestigial ephemeral pond here
Common Nighthawk (male) #birdsgallery
with Scaled Dove
Caterpillar only a few hours after eating out of its egg. Has now established a safety tent at the tip of the Yucca leaf and started to eat. Later it will burrow down into the root of the plant.
Orange County, FL, March 2024. Home garden.
Orange County, FL, March 2024. Home garden.
4 flamingos in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Spent a few hours watching them from my kayak.
These photos were taken well outside the signs, and the flamingos did not appear spooked or disturbed by my presence.
Slide-mounted to confirm ID. Photos associated with the following publication in which mealybug reflex bleeding and lacewing dorsal packet loading is detailed: https://centerforsystematicentomology.org/insectamundi/1019_Powell_2023.pdf
Associated videos:
Dorsal packet loading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As95aTckQZs
Feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqBj1Tdtjp4
Lacewing deterred by reflex bleeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjWfO1jjlwQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atqNRImAWiY
Feeding: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5AjjcL70zk
Videos also available:
https://archive.org/details/ceraeochrysa-claveri
https://osf.io/8t7sc/
Powell EC. 2023. Defensive behaviors of the mealybug Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell, 1893) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and the green lacewing Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás, 1911) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), with videos of dorsal packet loading and mealybug ostiole function. Insecta Mundi 1019: 1–11.
Lacewing observation here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/192723734
Orlando Wetlands, Orange County, FL, November 2023.
The Nature Conservancy's Tiger Creek Preserve
Found in pool by Banana River, Merritt Island. Released back into the estuarine water.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Canaveral National Seashore
Ovipositing on a dried flower
The California Lady Beetle (Coccinella californica) in the background of the first photo has its own observation here.
An extrememly dark female. Quite unusual for this species.
On an Abies stick near snowmelt.
nothing fits perfect, slaty, bar-winged, GBS etc.
Disguised as a wilting white beggartick pedal. It proceeded to go full anime villan when I accidentally bumped its plant. It proceeded to stand up and turn towards me like it was upset since I gave away its position to the pollinating insect protagonist
Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange County, FL, April 2023.
I genuinely can't believe I took this first picture, absolutely insane how cooperative this little guy was! Found on sea grape, no luck finding any ovipositing individuals
Found living in cultivated Sarracenia. Rarely ever see them.
Appears to be a variable species. See here:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/175785
Bartram Trail, Franklin, North Carolina
Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange County, FL, January 2023.
Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange County, FL, December 2022.
Photo Credit: J. Parish
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Helen & Allan Cruickshank Sanctuary
The most unusual Monotropa uniflora I've ever seen
Orlando Wetlands Park, Orange County, FL, August 2022.
Found this Dusky dead, I speculate it swallowed more than it could stomach.
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Young male - possibly in his hammock under a palmetto frond