floridensis
beneath the spanish moss with janson jones
Category: Ormond Beach, Florida
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
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”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 04 September 2016
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (04 September 2016). This is the typical posture/position of a Dusky pigmy rattlesnake going nowhere in the plenty of time, to borrow a phrase from N. Scott Momaday. Such a patient, calm, yet extremely-attuned… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 04 September 2016”
Micrathena sagittata, 25 October 2015
Micrathena sagittata, the Arrow-shaped orbweaver; Volusia county, Florida (25 October 2015). Registering fairly high on the OMFG scale of arachnid excellence, this is an Arrow-shaped orbweaver, a species that ranges throughout much the eastern United States. This individual is a female; female Arrow-shaped orbweavers… Continue Reading “Micrathena sagittata, 25 October 2015”
Coluber constrictor priapus, 22 July 2016
Coluber constrictor priapus, the Southern black racer; Volusia county, Florida (22 July 2016). Ever reactive and extremely agile (and fast!), this is the typical pose of a Southern black racer in front of my camera — poised and ready for what’s next. Despite its… Continue Reading “Coluber constrictor priapus, 22 July 2016”
Pantherophis guttatus, 23 September 2016
Pantherophis guttatus, the Red rat (corn) snake; Volusia county, Florida (23 September 2016). Here’s a profile mugshot of a fairly young Red rat snake, also known as the Corn snake. This is a modest, understated species abundant throughout much of the eastern United States,… Continue Reading “Pantherophis guttatus, 23 September 2016”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 11 December 2020
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (11 December 2020). A Dusky pigmy rattlesnake giving me quite the stare-down. You can see that this one is approaching ecdysis, the “shedding of its skin” (or, rather, scales). Snakes don’t have eyelids; instead,… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 11 December 2020”
Erythemis simplicicollis, 05 June 2007
Erythemis simplicicollis, the Eastern pondhawk; Volusia county, Florida (05 June 2007). Being one of our more-common dragons in this part of Florida, I’m always delighted to see an Eastern pondhawk searching out adventure and carnage in the summer sunshine, especially the emerald green females… Continue Reading “Erythemis simplicicollis, 05 June 2007”
Lithobates sphenocephalus, 11 December 2020
Lithobates sphenocephalus, the Southern leopard frog; Volusia county, Florida (11 December 2020). Love it when they go electric-green. Our local Leopard frogs really are something species. They can be extremely abundant in certain areas, casting a wave of leaping frog action as you walk… Continue Reading “Lithobates sphenocephalus, 11 December 2020”
Stilpnochlora couloniana, 20 September 2015
Stilpnochlora couloniana, the Giant katydid; Volusia county, Florida (20 September 2015). The Giant katydid is one of our most-commonly seen katydid species in central Florida, especially in September and October. I don’t know if that’s because they’re the most abundant species, though. It could… Continue Reading “Stilpnochlora couloniana, 20 September 2015”
Alaus myops, 17 May 2015
Alaus myops, the Small-eyed click beetle; Volusia county, Florida (17 May 2015). Here’s a chunky little brick of a beetle. This is a Small-eyed click beetle, one of two very similar click beetles we have roaming and clicking about our stretch of central Florida… Continue Reading “Alaus myops, 17 May 2015”
Microcentrum rhombifolium, 29 April 2020
Microcentrum rhombifolium, the Greater anglewing; Volusia county, Florida (29 April 2020). The Greater anglewing is one of our impressive katydid species in Volusia county, Florida. Ranging across the most of the United States, this is an impressively resilient and adaptable species. Really, if there’s… Continue Reading “Microcentrum rhombifolium, 29 April 2020”
Nemoria lixaria, 12 March 2015
Nemoria lixaria, the Red-bordered emerald moth; Volusia county, Florida (12 March 2015). This is one of many tiny species of moths most people don’t really notice at night in Florida. Our outdoor lights can be major attractors to moth species at night, but most… Continue Reading “Nemoria lixaria, 12 March 2015”
Micrurus fulvius, 27 June 2019
Micrurus fulvius, the Eastern coral snake; Volusia county, Florida (27 June 2019). Though not aggressive and very shy, the Eastern coral snake is not a species to take your chances with. Its neurotoxic venom can wreak absolute havoc on a person’s neurology, ultimately causing… Continue Reading “Micrurus fulvius, 27 June 2019”
Cosmosoma myrodora, 23 April 2015
Cosmosoma myrodora, the Scarlet-bodied wasp moth; Volusia county, Florida (23 April 2015). Though it may at first look a bit like a slightly-radioactive, somewhat-discotheque wasp, this is in fact a moth. More specifically, this is a Scarlet-bodied wasp moth, an entirely benign species of… Continue Reading “Cosmosoma myrodora, 23 April 2015”
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, 22 April 2015
Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, the Eastern garter snake; Volusia county, Florida (22 April 2015). A do love a narrow depth of field with a slick snake staring down my lens. This is one of our fantastically bluish-green Eastern garter snakes in Volusia county, Florida, giving… Continue Reading “Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis, 22 April 2015”
Dichromorpha elegans, 14 September 2014
Dichromorpha elegans, the Elegant grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (14 September 2014). The aptly-named Elegant grasshopper is a less commonly noticed species ranging along stretches of the southeastern coastline and throughout much of the Florida peninsula. On iNaturalist, there are also a handful of observations… Continue Reading “Dichromorpha elegans, 14 September 2014”
Lithobates clamitans clamitans, 29 June 2019
Lithobates clamitans clamitans, the Bronze frog; Volusia county, Florida (29 June 2019). Known regionally as the Bronze frog, Lithobates clamitans clamitans is a most-excellent true frog. Volusia county, where I live, is the southern extent of its range on the east coast, but we… Continue Reading “Lithobates clamitans clamitans, 29 June 2019”
Schistocerca rubiginosa, 02 August 2015
Schistocerca rubiginosa, the Rusty bird grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (02 August 2015). Here’s another ‘hopper fairly abundant across eastern central Florida. This is the Rusty bird grasshopper. From a distance, they’re pretty easy to miss, but when they suddenly take to wing to get… Continue Reading “Schistocerca rubiginosa, 02 August 2015”
Antheraea polyphemus, 15 May 2019
Antheraea polyphemus, the Polyphemus moth; Volusia county, Florida (15 May 2019). I’m a sucker for moths. The big ones, the little ones, the brown ones, and the way-the-hell-more-colorful ones. Seriously, butterflies tend to get all the attention, but moths are gangbusters of diversity and… Continue Reading “Antheraea polyphemus, 15 May 2019”
Chortophaga australior, 27 August 2013
Chortophaga australior, the Southern green-striped grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (27 August 2013). A sort of dicey photograph on its own, but I rather like it. This is a Southern green-striped grasshopper hanging out on some glass. This species ranges throughout the American southeast. I… Continue Reading “Chortophaga australior, 27 August 2013”
Anolis carolinensis, 13 July 2014
Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina green anole; Volusia county, Florida (13 July 2014). At our previous residence in Ormond Beach, we had a small group of Carolina green anoles who would be active at night. Generally speaking, this is a diurnal species, meaning they’re active… Continue Reading “Anolis carolinensis, 13 July 2014”
Pterophylla camellifolia, 07 May 2014
Pterophylla camellifolia, the Common true katydid (nymph); Volusia county, Florida (07 May 2014). This is an extremely tiny Common true katydid nymph; as an adult, it’ll look quite different from what you see here. Of note, I simply could not identify this one myself.… Continue Reading “Pterophylla camellifolia, 07 May 2014”
Russula rosacea, 02 January 2023
Russula rosacea, the Blood red russula; Volusia county, Florida (02 January 2023). Consider this one tentatively identified. I’m pretty sure this is a Blood red russula, but I’m still fishing for some confirmation from the mycology corners of my social networks. Whatever it was,… Continue Reading “Russula rosacea, 02 January 2023”
Hemidactylus garnotii, 11 August 2013
Hemidactylus garnotii, the Indo-Pacific gecko; Volusia county, Florida (11 August 2013). Native to the Indo-Tropics (as its common name might suggest), H. garnotii is now well-established throughout much of the Floridian peninsula along with numerous other pockets around the world. This species is entirely… Continue Reading “Hemidactylus garnotii, 11 August 2013”
Atlanticus gibbosus, 11 May 2020
Atlanticus gibbosus, the Robust shieldback; Volusia county, Florida (11 May 2020). I come across the Robust shieldback, a squat species of katydid, every now and then in Volusia county. I suppose I’ve walked past many more I never even noticed. They’re moderately small (at… Continue Reading “Atlanticus gibbosus, 11 May 2020”
Ophiocordyceps humbertii and Mischocyttarus mexicanus cubicola, 20 September 2015
Ophiocordyceps humbertii, a parasitic fungi, and Mischocyttarus mexicanus cubicola, a Neotropical paper wasp; Volusia county, Florida (20 September 2015). This was a fairly cool encounter. What you see here is a now-deceased pseudo-“zombified” Neotropical paper wasp enraptured by a parasitic fungus, most likely Ophiocordyceps… Continue Reading “Ophiocordyceps humbertii and Mischocyttarus mexicanus cubicola, 20 September 2015”
Anolis sagrei, 02 January 2023
Anolis sagrei, the Cuban brown anole; Volusia county, Florida (02 January 2023). I do more (and better) with macro studies, of course, but I kind of dig the extreme figure-ground contrast of this in-situ Cuban brown anole meekly scratching out a living within the… Continue Reading “Anolis sagrei, 02 January 2023”
Sabal palmetto, 02 January 2023
Sabal palmetto, the Cabbage palmetto; Volusia county, Florida (02 January 2023). I couldn’t help but snag this quick shot of a fallen palm on a morning hike near my home.
Neoscona domiciliorum, 08 September 2013
Neoscona domiciliorum, the Red-femured spotted orbweaver; Volusia county, Florida (08 September 2013). Orbweavers are fantastic. The little ones rock, the big ones rule. This is one of the larger ones, the Red-femured spotted orbweaver. They have a propensity for spinning a fairly large web… Continue Reading “Neoscona domiciliorum, 08 September 2013”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 04 September 2016
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (04 September 2016). Ultimately, I’ll probably post more dusky shots on Floridensis this year than any other species. Though I’ve worked with them steadily for the better part of a decade, my admiration and… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 04 September 2016”
Schistocerca damnifica, 15 March 2015
Schistocerca damnifica, the Mischievous bird grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (15 March 2015). I never get tired of saying the name “Schistocerca DAMNIFICA!” Why a fantastic name to say aloud. In central Florida, this is one of our more-abundant grasshoppers. Rather, I should say it’s… Continue Reading “Schistocerca damnifica, 15 March 2015”
Anaxyrus terrestris, 17 June 2020
Anaxyrus terrestris, the Southern toad; Volusia county, Florida (17 June 2020). Common as they may be (at times), I never grow tired of a nice, frumpy Southern toad giving me The Look.
Neoconocephalus triops, 08 March 2015
Neoconocephalus triops, the Broad-tipped conehead katydid; Volusia county, Florida (08 March 2015). As I’ve said before, I’m a huge fan of katydids. What a marvelous little subject of Orthoptera. Grasshoppers and crickets are cool and all, but KatydidLand is where it’s at. Long live… Continue Reading “Neoconocephalus triops, 08 March 2015”
Coluber constrictor priapus, 22 July 2016
Coluber constrictor priapus, the Southern black racer; Volusia county, Florida (22 July 2016). A Southern black racer reminding me how much more agile it is than I am. With their sharp visual acuity, lightning fast reflexes, reactive defensiveness, and rapid-fire speed-on-command, racers are a… Continue Reading “Coluber constrictor priapus, 22 July 2016”
Macromia taeniolata, 29 June 2019
Macromia taeniolata, the Royal river cruiser; Volusia county, Florida (29 June 2019). The Royal river cruiser is a magnificent dragon to come across in central Florida. I found this beast of the lower skies hanging out along the edge of my backyard one quiet… Continue Reading “Macromia taeniolata, 29 June 2019”
Eburia quadrigeminata, 30 May 2015
Eburia quadrigeminata, the Ivory-marked borer; Volusia county, Florida (30 May 2015). Fairly common in my neck of the woods, the Ivory-marked borer can often be seen hanging on to the edges of exterior windows, as this one was (the photo is rotated 90 degrees).… Continue Reading “Eburia quadrigeminata, 30 May 2015”
Dichromorpha viridis, 08 September 2013
Dichromorpha viridis, the Short-winged green grasshopper; Volusia county, Florida (08 September 2013). This is a set of Short-singed green grasshoppers. Females are typically larger than the males. In this image, you can see a male riding on the back of the much more impressive… Continue Reading “Dichromorpha viridis, 08 September 2013”
Agkistrodon conanti, 26 January 2021
Agkistrodon conanti, the Florida cottonmouth; Volusia county, Florida (26 January 2021). A simple message from a firm communicator saying, “Now’s the time to back off.” Florida cottonmouths are indeed venomous, but they are quite far from being “aggressive.” I’ve never once been chased by… Continue Reading “Agkistrodon conanti, 26 January 2021”
Turpilia rostrata, 28 May 2015
Turpilia rostrata, the Narrow-beaked katydid; Volusia county, Florida (28 May 2015). I do adore some solid katydid action, and Ormond Beach, Florida, is a damn fine place to live if carry such adoration. Katydids come in many sizes and shapes, but I find the… Continue Reading “Turpilia rostrata, 28 May 2015”
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