Taking a look closer when walking along the limestone roads of Chassahowitzka WMA
These insects are so neat… and can be overlooked if you don’t “LOOK” for them, a hint, look for something that is out of place! Sad their life span is only a year, so take only photos and enjoy this amazing insect!
Almost missed this one!
Links:
https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Praying-Mantis
Black Racer…. very, very good to have around your yard. Why? Well, they eat other snakes, mice and rats!
Juveniles are often mistaken as Pygmy Rattlesnakes.
Breeding: March thru June | Eggs 6-20: May thru August
Like the baby alligators, snakes also have a egg tooth that helps them rip open the egg and falls off within a couple of days. Neonates or hatchlings are on their own once they emerge from the egg, feeding on insects and other small amphibians.
Links:
http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/snakes/blackracer.shtml
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/herpetology/fl-snakes/list/coluber-constrictor-priapus/
http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/snakes/florida.shtml
http://www.pbase.com/dydmd/non_venomous_snakes_of_florida&page=all
A field of yellow sunshine, even though it’s called a weed!
Started blooming late August and into September. These wildflowers are thriving in open sandy areas.
Fun fact: The Plant Atlas has a sample of this flower picked by J. D. Ray Jr. on October 14, 1959 along U.S 41 what was then called Chinsegut Wildlife Refuge.
Links:
http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/SpecimenDetails.aspx?PlantID=2883
https://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SName=Helenium%20amarum
