floridensis
beneath the spanish moss with janson jones
Category: REGIONS
Egretta tricolor, 18 August 2006
Egretta tricolor, the Tricolored heron; Lake county, Florida (18 August 2006). Who doesn’t love a nice Tricolored heron? This species is very abundant in Florida but probably less noticed and recognized than their bigger, louder Great blue heron and Great egret cousins. This Tricolored… Continue Reading “Egretta tricolor, 18 August 2006”
Libellula axilena, 18 June 2013
Libellula axilena, the Bar-winged skimmer; Lowndes county, Georgia (18 June 2013). Another dragon-of-the-skies. When I see a dragon like the Bar-winged skimmer, I find myself very relieved to have not been born a small insect. Imagine how terrifying this creature must be from the… Continue Reading “Libellula axilena, 18 June 2013”
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”
Hyla cinerea, 12 April 2014
Hyla cinerea, the American green treefrog; Gilchrist county, Florida (12 April 2014). With its bright yellow freckles in full bloom, this American green treefrog was pretty easy to spot from afar. This particular weekend in Gilchrist county was absolutely wild. I camped out there… Continue Reading “Hyla cinerea, 12 April 2014”
Anolis carolinensis, 31 August 2011
Anolis carolinensis, the Carolina green anole; Lowndes county, Georgia (31 August 2011). A native Carolina green anole giving me the look around in Valdosta, Georgia. During my two years in Valdosta, it was nice seeing so many Green anoles relatively close to the group.… Continue Reading “Anolis carolinensis, 31 August 2011”
Iguana iguana, 18 March 2017
Iguana iguana, the Green iguana; Miami-Dade county, Florida (18 March 2017). The best kind of green is the green of a juvenile Green iguana chilling out in a thick tangle of greenery. What a sight. This little one was photographed on the edge of… Continue Reading “Iguana iguana, 18 March 2017”
Nerodia clarkii compressicauda, 09 July 2011
Nerodia clarkii compressicauda, the Mangrove salt marsh snake; Monroe county, Florida (09 July 2011). A fantastic Mangrove salt marsh snake just about to reach ecdysis, the shedding of its scales. Note the milky blue eye. That’s its ocular scale very, very ready to shed.… Continue Reading “Nerodia clarkii compressicauda, 09 July 2011”
Melampus coffea, 21 March 2015
Melampus coffea, the Coffee bean snail; Miami-Dade county, Florida (21 March 2015). The Coffee bean snail… Perfect name for a horde of little snails clustering together like that. This walk of snails was photographed near the edge of a mangrove on the coastline at… Continue Reading “Melampus coffea, 21 March 2015”
Gopherus polyphemus, 11 December 2022
Gopherus polyphemus, the Gopher tortoise; Lake county, Florida (11 December 2022). This super young Gopher tortoise was loitering around a bit too close to a pool, so it was gently taken to the other side of the fence where the sandy dunes and nearby… Continue Reading “Gopherus polyphemus, 11 December 2022”
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”
Nerodia floridana, 07 May 2017
Nerodia floridana, the Florida green watersnake; Lake county, Florida (07 May 2017). When it comes to Florida green watersnakes in my hands, the only thing better than catching a nice, healthy adult for photographs is catching two of them at the same time. I… Continue Reading “Nerodia floridana, 07 May 2017”
Hyla squirella, 01 June 2004
Hyla squirella, the Squirrel treefrog; Lake county, Florida (01 June 2004). This is an extremely old photo taken with my first digital camera. This is a Squirrel treefrog, a very common species that is extremely variable in appearance. A general rule of thumb for… Continue Reading “Hyla squirella, 01 June 2004”
Lithobates catesbeianus, 18 October 2006
Lithobates catesbeianus, the American bullfrog; Seminole county, Florida (18 October 2006). An old picture of an American bullfrog that used to hang out by our patio back in Sanford, Florida. We lived in an apartment complex near the edge of Lake Monroe for about… Continue Reading “Lithobates catesbeianus, 18 October 2006”
Anolis garmani, 11 June 2016
Anolis garmani, the Jamaican giant anole; Miami-Dade county, Florida (11 June 2016). It’s hard for me to overstate how much I adore the Jamaican giant anole. This species is most certainly not native to Florida but is now somewhat established in a few pockets… Continue Reading “Anolis garmani, 11 June 2016”
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”
Gasteracantha cancriformis, 11 July 2015
Gasteracantha cancriformis, the Spinybacked orbweaver; Volusia county, Florida (11 July 2015). The Spinybacked orbweaver is a very small species commonly encountered throughout Florida and elsewhere across its range (from the Southeastern United States through Central American and much of South America). This is a… Continue Reading “Gasteracantha cancriformis, 11 July 2015”
Coluber constrictor priapus, 18 April 2020
Coluber constrictor priapus, the Southern black racer; Volusia county, Florida (18 April 2020). I’m always delighted when I get a clear racer profile. This species is so active, so reactive, so energetic, so, so, so spastic. Heh. To put it mildly. It takes a… Continue Reading “Coluber constrictor priapus, 18 April 2020”
Agama picticauda, 02 September 2011
Agama picticauda, the African redhead agama; Miami-Dade county, Florida (02 September 2011). Also known as Peter’s rock agama, the African redhead agama is a non-native species now well established throughout much of south Florida. Steadily, they’ve been working their way northward, popping up here… Continue Reading “Agama picticauda, 02 September 2011”
Verrucosa arenata, 09 May 2015
Verrucosa arenata, the Arrowhead orbweaver; Volusia county, Florida (09 May 2015). I’ve never managed get a great photograph of an Arrowhead orbweaver, but this one is clear enough for me. It was a good moment, a good experience. As for this species, the Arrowhead… Continue Reading “Verrucosa arenata, 09 May 2015”
Lampropeltis elapsoides, 13 April 2020
Lampropeltis elapsoides, the Scarlet kingsnake; Volusia county, Florida (13 April 2020). A Scarlet kingsnake reeling around a bit to see what the photographer guy is up to. This species is entirely non-venomous and unaggressive. It is fairly shy and reclusive, spending much of the… Continue Reading “Lampropeltis elapsoides, 13 April 2020”
Acanthocephala declivis, 19 June 2022
Acanthocephala declivis, the Giant leaf-footed bug; Lake county, Florida (19 June 2022). The Giant leaf-footed bug is another seemingly scary big bug many believe to be dangerous to humans but, in fact, is not. This is no assassin bug, despite its fearsome appearance. As… Continue Reading “Acanthocephala declivis, 19 June 2022”
Lyssomanes viridis, 20 April 2020
Lyssomanes viridis, the Magnolia green jumping spider; Volusia county, Florida (20 April 2020). Oh, yeah, I do love some solid arachnid action, and the Magnolia green jumping spider absolutely delivers. With its brilliant greens and overall agility, this is always a fun species to… Continue Reading “Lyssomanes viridis, 20 April 2020”
Petrolisthes armatus, 01 July 2019
Petrolisthes armatus, the Green porcelain crab; Flagler county, Florida (01 July 2019). Though they do have a considerable range, I’ve only encountered the Green porcelain crab along the rocky beaches of Flagler county, Florida. So far, at least. The Green porcelain crab is actually… Continue Reading “Petrolisthes armatus, 01 July 2019”
Indotyphlops braminus, 28 April 2017
Indotyphlops braminus, the Brahminy blind snake; Volusia county, Florida (28 April 2017). The Brahminy blind snake is the smallest snake species in the world. Native to Southern Asia, this species has essentially colonized much of the world with thanks to the plant trade. This… Continue Reading “Indotyphlops braminus, 28 April 2017”
Menippe nodifrons, 20 January 2020
Menippe nodifrons, the Cuban stone crab; Volusia county, Florida (20 January 2020). The Cuban stone crab ranges across Florida’s east coast from around Key Largo north to St. Augustine. This is a fairly small, squat individual spotted along the Ormond Beach shoreline.
Sternotherus minor, 30 October 2016
Sternotherus minor, the Loggerhead musk turtle; Levy county, Florida (30 October 2016). Just getting started on the big game of life, here’s a wee Loggerhead musk turtle from the sparkling clear freshwaters of Levy county, Florida. Small turtle, big attitude!
Serenoa repens, 01 January 2023
Serenoa repens, the Saw palmetto; Volusia county, Florida (01 January 2023). Check out all that Saw palmetto lining the edge of an Ormond Beach trail. Serenoa repens is a smaller palm species rarely growing more than about seven to ten feet in height. I… Continue Reading “Serenoa repens, 01 January 2023”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 01 January 2023
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (01 January 2023). Serpentes.2023.002. Unsurprisingly, my second snake for 2023 was another Dusky pigmy rattlesnake. It’s a good thing I consider this to be my favorite species these days because I see them far… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 01 January 2023”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 01 January 2023
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (01 January 2023). Serpentes.2023.001. It seems appropriate that my first snake for 2023 was a Dusky pigmy rattlesnake encountered a few short miles from my home during a New Year’s Day hike. This species… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 01 January 2023”
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 09 September 2006
Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, the Florida banded watersnake; Alachua county, Florida (09 September 2006). This is a caramello (as I call it) variant of the non-venomous and entirely unaggressive Florida banded watersnake, a highly variable subspecies of the Banded watersnake. I tend to mostly see… Continue Reading “Nerodia fasciata pictiventris, 09 September 2006”
Leptuca thayeri, 07 August 2019
Leptuca thayeri, the Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab; Volusia county, Florida (07 August 2019). The Atlantic mangrove fiddler crab is just what its common name indicates: A fiddler crab species that likes to hang out in muddy mangrove-laden areas of Florida’s Atlantic coast. I don’t… Continue Reading “Leptuca thayeri, 07 August 2019”
Anhinga anhinga, 29 February 2020
Anhinga anhinga, the Anhinga; Lake county, Florida (29 February 2020). The Anhinga is a regional favorite for me. Though I may be into scales a bit more than proper feathers, Anhingas truly are terrific. They’re fantastic swimmers and carry the nickname the “snakebird.” Once… Continue Reading “Anhinga anhinga, 29 February 2020”
Leptuca pugilator, 24 May 2019
Leptuca pugilator, the Atlantic sand fiddler crab; Brevard county, Florida (24 May 2019). I do adore the diminutive and shy Atlantic sand fiddler crab. These tiny crabs can be seen en masse trolling about the muddy banks of our salt marshes. When you see… Continue Reading “Leptuca pugilator, 24 May 2019”
Orchelimum pulchellum, 29 June 2014
Orchelimum pulchellum, the Handsome meadow katydid; Volusia county, Florida (29 June 2014). Ranging throughout the American southeast, the Handsome meadow katydid is one of our more-colorful Orthopteran species. Riddled with bright greens and brilliant splashes of blood-like reddish tones, I come across this species… Continue Reading “Orchelimum pulchellum, 29 June 2014”
Pantherophis alleghaniensis, 01 March 2007
Pantherophis alleghaniensis, the Eastern (yellow) rat snake; Volusia county, Florida (01 March 2007). I like to have fun with macro photographs by playing around with the background elements. Bokeh is delicious. In this case, the background yellow gradient was actually a yellow road stripe;… Continue Reading “Pantherophis alleghaniensis, 01 March 2007”
Grapsus grapsus, 05 July 2011
Grapsus grapsus, the Sally lightfoot crab; Monroe county, Florida (05 July 2011). I had a devil of a time resolving the identification to this crab, but the consensus on iNaturalist settled on the Sally lightfoot crab, Grapsus grapsus. So be it! Anyhow, this crab… Continue Reading “Grapsus grapsus, 05 July 2011”
Leptoglossus fulvicornis, 21 July 2020
Leptoglossus fulvicornis, the Magnolia leaf-footed bug; Volusia county, Florida (21 July 2020). The Magnolia leaf-footed bug ranges across much of the American southeast and up a bit into the northeast. Though perhaps fearsome in its appearance, this is not a species known to attack,… Continue Reading “Leptoglossus fulvicornis, 21 July 2020”
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 23 March 2021
Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, the Dusky pigmy rattlesnake; Volusia county, Florida (23 March 2021). A mid-sized Dusky pigmy rattlesnake perched patiently in the tangles of Ormond Beach, Florida. As I frequently note, I find Duskies to be delightful to work with. They can be remarkably… Continue Reading “Sistrurus miliarius barbouri, 23 March 2021”
Thamnophis saurita sackenii, 19 January 2017
Thamnophis saurita sackenii, the Peninsula ribbon snake; Lake county, Florida (19 January 2017). Peninsula ribbon snakes are closely related to the more commonly recognized garter snakes. Ribbons tend to be a bit thinner and, well, ribbon-like. I tend to find them very close to… Continue Reading “Thamnophis saurita sackenii, 19 January 2017”
Dolomedes albineus, 29 June 2019
Dolomedes albineus, the White-banded fishing spider; Volusia county, Florida (29 June 2019). Ranging throughout much of the eastern half of the United States, the White-banded fishing spider is an apt and able hunter. They tend to hang out near creeks and small streams, hunting… Continue Reading “Dolomedes albineus, 29 June 2019”
Egretta rufescens, 25 February 2007
Egretta rufescens, the Reddish egret; Brevard county, Florida (25 February 2007). An old, on-the-edge-of-being-decent shot of a Reddish egret splashing about the shallows of Brevard county, Florida. This species is roughly the same size as the Great egret, but it obviously colored quite differently.… Continue Reading “Egretta rufescens, 25 February 2007”
Python bivittatus, 03 August 2017
Python bivittatus, the Burmese python; Miami-Dade county, Florida (03 August 2017). A young Burmese python crossing a lonely road in south Florida. This non-native species has proven to be catastrophic to our native wildlife in south Florida. As adults, they have considerable appetites and… Continue Reading “Python bivittatus, 03 August 2017”
Platalea ajaja, 25 February 2007
Platalea ajaja, the Roseate spoonbill; Brevard county, Florida (25 February 2007). We may not have hordes of wild flamingos flapping about like many out of state think, but we do something even cooler and more awkward: the Roseate spoonbill. Spoonbills can sport some excellent… Continue Reading “Platalea ajaja, 25 February 2007”
Neotibicen tibicen australis, 15 June 2020
Neotibicen tibicen australis, the Southern dusky-winged cicada; Volusia county, Florida (15 June 2020). I found this newly-minuted adult Southern dusky-winged cicada chilling on a trail-side branch in north Ormond Beach, Florida. With a little bit of time and exposure, those bright, neonic greens will… Continue Reading “Neotibicen tibicen australis, 15 June 2020”
Leiocephalus carinatus, 07 August 2017
Leiocephalus carinatus, the Northern curlytail lizard; Monroe county, Florida (07 August 2017). Native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, the Northern curltytail lizard is steadily making its way north throughout the Florida peninsula. I’ve seen them down in the Florida Keys and… Continue Reading “Leiocephalus carinatus, 07 August 2017”
Ardea herodias, 22 March 2007
Adrea herodias, the Great blue heron; Brevard county, Florida (22 March 2007). A common, ubiquitous site throughout the Floridian peninsula (and most of North America, actually), this is a fairly classic view of the Great blue heron. Few species abide the plenty of time… Continue Reading “Ardea herodias, 22 March 2007”
North Peninsula State Park, 26 February 2014
North Peninsula State Park; Volusia county, Florida (26 February 2014). One specific sunrise along one specific beach of the northern edge of Volusia County, Florida. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, folks!
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