In the comments section: Excellent explanation and links provided by Rick @ophiogomphus, to help identify a Golden from a Needham's Skimmer.
City Nature Challenge 2024, South Florida - Day 4
City Nature Challenge 2024, South Florida - Day 4
City Nature Challenge 2024, South Florida - Day 4
The mantis immediately let go of the Large four spotted scolid wasp. When I saw this encounter, it looked like the mantis just touched the wasp and drew away, but I saw with my fast camera that the mantis grabbed the wasp.
Mother Raccoon Coping with Her Two Rambunctious Kits
⭐This is one of my favorite observations from several years ago. I didn't take photos, only shot a Video.
The 4 still photos are snapshots created from the video.
(The GIF animates on a PC browser but may display as a still image on both Android and iPhone.)
A Young Florida Green Watersnake
Amazingly, a baby turtle crawled up, inched next to the snake and stayed.
See additional photos
(The GIF animates on a PC browser but may display as a still image on both Android and iPhone.)
Grazing on grass and clover. The Gopher Tortoise is native to southeastern US.
See additional photos
(The GIF animates on a PC browser but may display as a still image on both Android and iPhone.)
This doe is missing part of her left front leg, see the next photo.
Update: This is Lily. She lost the lower part of her leg from an alligator attack when she was a fawn.
Photos & Video taken along the Marsh Trail
(This is my first attempt to create a GIF and post it. The GIF animates on a PC browser but may display as a still image on both Android and iPhone.)
This guy was just a wee red blob, but I knew it was something interesting from previous observations from up north :-)
The last image has a scale (mm and 1/2 mm divisions), the bell is about 4mm high.
It can curl up its tentacles so they are just little knobs, which it does when swimming. It can then unfurl those tentacles and drift with them extended.
Photos taken from 100ft away. 20 second exposure, no lights used at all to avoid disturbing turtles.
Visiting Flowers of a Lanceleaf Arrowhead
JW Corbett Wildlife Management Area, PBC, FL
I saw an adult in the area several hours earlier; a Doe, I think. JW Corbett Wildlife Management Area, PBC, FL
This Turtle shell was upside down in a dried, muddy swamp buggy track. I do not think it was killed from the wheel going over it, but when the vehicle did drive over it, the Turtle was flipped and remained doomed. I should have taken a photo of how I found it upside down and pressed down in that track. There did not seem like any damage to the shell (that was when I thought this was a Box Turtle) that would have caused its death. It looked like it died from being stuck (or that bottom piece pushed up), and then likely the insects ate it leaving the shell in the same place. Also in hindsight, I should have poured some water over the sandy shell to help show the markings better.
JW Corbett Wildlife Management Area, PBC, FL
Collection pollen from the Flowers of a Pickerelweed
So well hidden in the undergrowth that observation was difficult. I don't expect to ever see another one.
. See second photo
Same anole in different colors
Sweetbay Natural Area, PBC, FL
immature, with his catch, a Brown Basilisk
See second photo: down the hatch...
. photo taken in the area around the Visitor's Center
photo taken at the Visitor's Center Butterfly Garden
with a big fish - see additional photo
. photo taken along Lee Rd.
see second photo: turning his head almost 180 degrees
. photo taken along the Marsh Trail
on Largeflower Mexican Clover, heavy-laden with pollen
. photo taken along the Marsh Trail
Florida's State Butterfly
. photo taken at the Visitor's Center Butterfly Garden
enjoying a strawberry from a neighboring farm - see 3 additional photos
. photos taken along Lee Rd.
see 2 additional photos
. photos taken at the Boat Launch area
Found on pavement in neighborhood
see two added photos
. photo taken in area around the Visitor's Center
Storm Treatment Area 1 East (STA-1E), PBC, FL