floridensis
beneath the spanish moss with janson jones
Category: Photography
Spring Break 2023: Thalia geniculata
Thalia geniculata, the Alligator flag; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 I’m quite the fan of Alligator flag. This wetland-bound species is quite abundant throughout much of the Florida peninsula. We have a bit of it in my home territory of Volusia… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Thalia geniculata”
Spring Break 2023: Cranium americanum
Crinum americanum, the Southern swamp crinum; (Tentative Identification)Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 This identification should be considered tentative at best. While I believe these are the flowering petals of a Southern swamp crinum, I haven’t been able to verify the identification… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Cranium americanum”
Spring Break 2023: Procyon lotor
Procyon lotor, the Raccoon; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 Ah, yes, the sweet, sweet photo-carnage of a Raccoon mucking about in the shaded undergrowth of a shallow cypress swamp. Heh. Normally I’d toss an out-of-focus shot like this, but I rather… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Procyon lotor”
Spring Break 2023: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Here’s another view of the elevated boardwalk trail at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Running at just over two miles in length, this truly is a special short, loop trail in South Florida.
Spring Break 2023: Ardea alba
Ardea alba, the Great egret; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023).Spring Break 2023 One of our cooler local bird species in peninsular Florida (and one of our most abundant) is the Great egret, Ardea alba. This is perhaps how I prefer to see them:… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Ardea alba”
Spring Break 2023: Pleopeltis michauxiana
Pleopeltis michauxiana, the Resurrection fern; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 A clear sign of the need-for-rain: A dried up Resurrection fern waiting to earn its namesake. This seemingly dead fern will quickly turn green and “reanimate” as soon as a… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pleopeltis michauxiana”
Spring Break 2023: Campyloneurum phyllitidis
Campyloneurum phyllitidis, the Long strap fern; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 I find the Long strap fern to be fairly iconic of the South Florida interior. An epiphytic plant, this species tends to grow upon other, larger plants (such as… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Campyloneurum phyllitidis”
Spring Break 2023: Herpothallon rubrocinctum
Herpothallon rubrocinctum, the Christmas lichen; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 The so-called Christmas lichen is an abundant (and always obvious) species of fungal lichen throughout the Florida peninsula. The red tones you see in this photo can sometimes appear nearly… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Herpothallon rubrocinctum”
Spring Break 2023: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 A view of the boardwalk trail at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier county, Florida. Though it can be fairly busy with visitors, I do find this short 2-mile boardwalk trail to be… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary”
Spring Break 2023: Romalea microptera
Romalea microptera, the Eastern lubber grasshopper; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 A small cluster (or “cloud”) of fairly young Eastern lubber grasshoppers forage about upon a tree at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. As they mature and age, these Lubber grasshoppers will… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Romalea microptera”
Spring Break 2023: Tillandsia fasciculata
Tillandsia fasciculata, the Cardinal airplant; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 The Cardinal airplant is a fantastically brilliant epiphytic plant ranging throughout most of southern Florida (as well as the Caribbean and much of Central America). As an epiphytic plant, this… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Tillandsia fasciculata”
Spring Break 2023: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; Collier county, Florida (12 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 After leaving Lake county very, very early in the morning (but not as early as I’d intended due to the Daylight Savings change), my first real stop for Spring Break 2023 was… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary”
Spring Break 2023: Anolis sagrei
Anolis sagrei, the Cuban brown anole; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Spending the late afternoon and evening in Mount Dora, primarily in my mother’s pool-laden backyard, I came across this non-native Cuban brown anole perched on my mother’s back patio… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Anolis sagrei”
Spring Break 2023: Eleutherodactylus planirostris
Eleutherodactylus planirostris, the Greenhouse frog; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Featured here is a non-native Greenhouse frog I found floating in my mother’s Mount Dora pool. It had clearly been floating in there for quite some time and was a… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Eleutherodactylus planirostris”
Spring Break 2023: Pontederia crassipes
Pontederia crassipes, the Common water hyacinth; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Water hyacinth, the green matte of vegetation you see here on Blackwater Creek, is native to South America but now well established throughout much of the world. In Florida,… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pontederia crassipes”
Spring Break 2023: Seminole State Forest
Seminole State Forest; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Another view of the fantastic terrain adjacent to Blackwater Creek in the Seminole State Forest. I’ve spent a lot of time in this habitat over the years. Sometimes it’s wet. Sometimes it’s… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Seminole State Forest”
Spring Break 2023: Osmunda spectabilis
Osmunda spectabilis, the American royal fern; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Though I’m mostly ignorant of their evolutionary biology, I’m fascinated by ferns when I stop to look at them more closely. Fern-like growth dates back to around 390 million… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Osmunda spectabilis”
Spring Break 2023: Seminole State Forest
Seminole State Forest; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 You might relate, but I don’t really find anything quite as satisfying as quietly making my way through wild growth. The ever-so-light whisper of a breeze adorned with the soft rustle of… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Seminole State Forest”
Spring Break 2023: Cyclosorus interruptus
Cyclosorus interruptus, the Swamp shield-fern; Lake county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 My next short-stop was the edge of Seminole State Forest in Lake county, more specifically the Blackwater Creek region near State Road 44. I’ve always liked this little corner of… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Cyclosorus interruptus”
Spring Break 2023: Nerodia taxispilota
Nerodia taxispilota, the Brown watersnake; Volusia county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 The first official snake of the 2023 jaunt throughout the Florida peninsula was none other than Nerodia taxispilota, the Brown watersnake. Unfortunately, however, there was no opportunity for hand’s-on macro… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Nerodia taxispilota”
Spring Break 2023: Pinus elliotti and Serenoa repens
Pinus elliotti, the Slash pine, and Serenoa repens, the Saw palmetto; Volusia county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Here’s another shot from the fantastic pine-and-palmetto southeastern region of Heart Island Conservation Area. This can be surprisingly tricky habitat to traverse. While the… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pinus elliotti and Serenoa repens”
Spring Break 2023: Pinus elliottii
Pinus elliottii, the Slash pine; Volusia county, Florida (11 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 My first stop for Spring Break 2023 was Heart Island Conservation Area in the interior of Volusia county — a bit west of Ormond Beach. I’ve adored Heart Island for… Continue Reading “Spring Break 2023: Pinus elliottii”
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 15 March 2023
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, the Florida banded watersnake; Volusia county, Florida (08 March 2023). Spring Break 2023 Less than a week before my 2023 Spring Break trip to South Florida, I came upon two Florida banded watersnakes in the Tiger Bay State Forest area just… Continue Reading “Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 15 March 2023”
Acanthocephala declivis, 27 April 2013
Acanthocephala declivis, the Giant leaf-footed bug; Lake county, Florida (27 April 2013). One of my favorite non-cicada Hemipterans, the Giant leaf-footed bug may look intimidating, but the fear is relatively unwarranted. This is not a bug out to get you, despite its fearsome appearance… Continue Reading “Acanthocephala declivis, 27 April 2013”
Hyla femoralis, 16 March 2016
Hyla femoralis, the Pine woods treefrog; Volusia county, Florida (16 March 2016). In my stretch of Florida, you’re far more likely to hear the Pine woods treefrog than you are to actually see one. They spend much of their time fairly high up, well… Continue Reading “Hyla femoralis, 16 March 2016”
Deirochelys reticularia chrysea, 14 July 2014
Deirochelys reticularia chrysea, the Florida chicken turtle; Volusia county, Florida (14 July 2014). The Florida chicken turtle is a fairly small aquatic species. Check out that trimming/lining at the edge of each scute on the carapace! Though I sometimes have a devil of a… Continue Reading “Deirochelys reticularia chrysea, 14 July 2014”
Nerodia taxispilota, 10 April 2016
Nerodia taxispilota, the Brown watersnake; Lake county, Florida (10 April 2016). An impressive Brown watersnake encountered and photographed in Lake county, Florida. Of all Florida’s non-venomous watersnake species, the Brown watersnake is the most consistent in coloring and patterning. Wherever you find them, this… Continue Reading “Nerodia taxispilota, 10 April 2016”
Anolis carolinensis, 21 January 2017
Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina green anole; Broward county, Florida (21 January 2017). A tight shot of the Carolina green anole’s profile. There’s such a delicate complexity to all those greens.
North Peninsula State Park, 16 April 2014
North Peninsula State Park; Volusia county, Florida (16 April 2014). Alas, it’s Spring Break 2023, and I’m checking out for a decent chunk of the week. Central and South Florida beckon, and I’ll be sojourning beneath the Spanish moss for a bit. I’m pre-scheduling… Continue Reading “North Peninsula State Park, 16 April 2014”
Masticophis flagellum flagellum, 26 May 2016
Masticophis flagellum flagellum, the Eastern coachwhip; Lake county, Florida (26 May 2016). Ah, yes, the mighty coachwhip. This species, the Eastern coachwhip, is sort of like a mega-version of the Southern black racer. Eastern coachwhips are typically larger and longer than Southern black racers,… Continue Reading “Masticophis flagellum flagellum, 26 May 2016”
Nerodia floridana, 14 March 2019
Nerodia floridana, the Florida green watersnake; Miami-Dade county, Florida (14 March 2019). In south Florida, most notably in the Everglades, our Florida green watersnakes can take on a more-reddish tone, especially as juveniles. Featured here is one such juvenile Florida green watersnake from the… Continue Reading “Nerodia floridana, 14 March 2019”
Libellula needhami, 02 July 2019
Libellula needhami, the Needham’s skimmer; Volusia county, Florida (02 July 2019). Here’s an iPhone shot of a Needham’s skimmer I came across along the edge of a roadside culvert in downtown Daytona Beach. Though I’m happy my phone was able to get this clear… Continue Reading “Libellula needhami, 02 July 2019”
Coluber constrictor priapus, 02 August 2020
Coluber constrictor priapus, the Southern black racer; Volusia county, Florida (02 August 2020). There’s nothing quite like an attitudinal juvenile Southern black racer. If you know what adult racers look like, this juvenile’s appearance might be surprising to you. As juveniles, Southern black racers… Continue Reading “Coluber constrictor priapus, 02 August 2020”
Pseudacris crucifer, 12 February 2013
Pseudacris crucifer, the Spring peeper; Lowndes county, Georgia (12 February 2013). Who doesn’t love a peeper in the middle of the night? Let me rephrase that: Who doesn’t love to see a Spring peeper, a type of frog, in the middle of the night?… Continue Reading “Pseudacris crucifer, 12 February 2013”
Coluber constrictor priapus, 31 December 2016
Coluber constrictor priapus, the Southern black racer; Volusia county, Florida (31 December 2016). Southern black racers are a lot of things (fast, reactive, attitudinal), but one thing they usually aren’t is patient. Thanks to some fairly chilly weather this particular New Year’s Eve, however,… Continue Reading “Coluber constrictor priapus, 31 December 2016”
Nycticorax nycticorax, 28 November 2010
Nycticorax nycticorax, the Black-crowned night heron; Lake county, Florida (28 November 2010). Though far from being considered rare (or even uncommon), the Black-crowned night heron is one of our lesser-observed heron/egret species in peninsular Florida; they’re a bit more reclusive than many of their… Continue Reading “Nycticorax nycticorax, 28 November 2010”
Anolis sagrei, 08 July 2011
Anolis sagrei, the Cuban brown anole; Monroe county, Florida (08 July 2011). Cuban brown anoles are tiny bio-packs of energy waiting to spring to action. They also know how to sport a damn fine posture when balancing on an oversized rope. Such balance and… Continue Reading “Anolis sagrei, 08 July 2011”
Homo sapiens vs. Gallus gallus domesticus, Fall 1993
Homo sapiens, FSU Police in this case, detaining Gallus gallus domesticus, the domestic chicken;Gilchrist Dorm, Florida State University; Leon county, Florida (Fall 1993). This was a wonderful observation. In my Fall 1993 semester at Florida State University, I was privileged to observe a fantastic… Continue Reading “Homo sapiens vs. Gallus gallus domesticus, Fall 1993”
Nerodia fasciata fasciata, 28 February 2012
Nerodia fasciata fasciata, the Southern banded watersnake; Lowndes county, Georgia (28 February 2012). Another benefit to living in South Georgia for two years was getting some time with the Southern banded watersnake, Nerodia fasciata fasciata. Throughout most of the Florida peninsula, we have the… Continue Reading “Nerodia fasciata fasciata, 28 February 2012”
Kinosternon baurii, 14 July 2019
Kinosternon baurii, the Striped mud turtle; Volusia county, Florida (14 July 2019). The Striped mud turtle is a small, fairly common turtle that frequents the freshwaters of Volusia County, Florida, as well as most of Florida and the eastern edge of the United States.… Continue Reading “Kinosternon baurii, 14 July 2019”
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 30 April 2020
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, the Florida banded watersnake; Volusia county, Florida (30 April 2020). If you’ve ever been told that venomous cottonmouths swim at the surface of water while non-venomous watersnakes swim under the water, well, that’s not always the case. Pictured here is a… Continue Reading “Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 30 April 2020”
Tomoka River, 28 September 2019
The Tomoka River; Ormond Beach, Florida (28 September 2019). A moment of zen, as they say, on the Tomoka River. I spent countless hours on the Tomoka as a child, and it’s deeply gratifying to spend an afternoon out on that water in my… Continue Reading “Tomoka River, 28 September 2019”
Anolis equestris, 11 June 2016
Anolis equestris, the Cuban knight anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (11 June 2016). If any lizard could play a 1940s mob boss, I do believe it would be Anolis equestris. Slap a cigar in that mouth, and the rest is already done. What a fantastically… Continue Reading “Anolis equestris, 11 June 2016”
Libellula axilena, 16 June 2013
Libellula axilena, the Bar-winged skimmer; Lowndes county, Georgia (16 June 2013). The elegance of a Bar-winged skimmer taking a break from all that excellent aerial combat. We certainly had no shortage of dragonflies and the like in our Valdosta, Georgia, backyard. It was something… Continue Reading “Libellula axilena, 16 June 2013”
Diadophis punctatus punctatus, 11 December 2022
Diadophis punctatus punctatus, the Southern ringneck; Lake county, Florida (11 December 2022). I must admit I revel when encountering a wee Southern ringneck. This tiny species is quite abundant throughout central Florida (and elsewhere). They’re also quite reclusive and well-hidden, so I suspect most… Continue Reading “Diadophis punctatus punctatus, 11 December 2022”
Schistocerca obscura, 27 September 2015
Schistocerca obscura, the Obscure bird grasshopper; Brevard county, Florida (27 September 2015). Here’s an edgy Obscure bird grasshopper on the brink of taking flight in Merritt Island NWR, Florida. Most commonly seen in the late-summer and early-autumn months, this skittery species can be quite… Continue Reading “Schistocerca obscura, 27 September 2015”
Captain Tony’s Saloon, 05 August 2017
Captain Tony’s Saloon in Key West; Monroe county, Florida (05 August 2017). If you ever find yourself in Key West, Florida, I recommend swinging by Captain Tony’s Saloon. While the address (428 Greene Street) dates back to the 1850s, it was in 1933 that… Continue Reading “Captain Tony’s Saloon, 05 August 2017”
Romalea microptera, 29 April 2020
Romalea microptera, the Eastern lubber grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (29 April 2020). This is a nymph-stage Eastern lubber grasshopper. Though impressively large already, this nymphal grasshopper will grow a bit larger and take on a more yellow-and-red appearance in its adult form. Lubbers can… Continue Reading “Romalea microptera, 29 April 2020”
Anaxyrus quercicus, 29 September 2012
Anaxyrus quercicus, the Oak toad; Charlton county, Georgia (29 September 2012). The Oak toad is our other toad in peninsular Florida. Averaging only about an inch or so in length, this small toad isn’t as commonly observed as its larger relative the Southern toad,… Continue Reading “Anaxyrus quercicus, 29 September 2012”
Gastrophryne carolinensis, 14 September 2012
Gastrophryne carolinensis, the Eastern narrowmouth toad; Lake county, Florida (14 September 2012). The Eastern narrowmouth toad is Florida’s loan representative of Family Microhylidae, a chonky clade of amphibians. Not quite true toads and not quite true frogs, narrowmouth toads sport robust, smooth, round bodies… Continue Reading “Gastrophryne carolinensis, 14 September 2012”
floridensis 