celery

[celery]

Ploughing onwards... once I've sorted these I should be able to add a few pics to the 'Favourite shots of 2014' UK species threads.

9. 10. 11. 12.

9. Zebra - Heliconius charitonius - Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida - 20th November, 2014
10. Whirlabout - Polites vibex - Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida - 14th November, 2014
11. Fulvous Hairstreak - Electrostrymon angelia - Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg, Florida - 12th November, 2014
12. Dun Skipper - Euphyes vestris - John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo, Florida - 19th November, 2013

[celery]

Burning the midnight oil, waiting for the cricket to start. Another batch...

13. 14. 15. 16.

13. Tropical Checkered-skipper - Pyrgus oileus - Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014
14. Statira Sulphur - Phoebis statira - Secret Woods Regional Park, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - 17th November, 2014
15. Giant Swallowtail - Papilio cresphontes - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida - 29th November, 2012
16. Carolina Satyr - Hermeuptychia sosybius - Circle B Bar Reserve, Lakeland, Florida - 13th November, 2014

[celery]

Some skippers. Often the hardest to identify as there are over 50 species that occur in Florida - though many are spring to autumn species that only inhabit the more northerly temperate regions of the Panhandle and north-central Florida... which makes it a bit easier for winter-sun-loving softies like me.

17. 18. 19. 20.

17. Clouded Skipper - Lerema accius - Pine Island Ridge area at Tree Tops Regional Park, Davie, Florida - 17th November, 2014
18. Least Skipper - Ancyloxypha numitor - Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida - 14th November, 2014
19. Three-spotted Skipper - Cymaenes tripunctus - Fern Forest Regional Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 14th November, 2013
20. Hammock Skipper - Polygonus leo - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida - 29th November, 2012

[Padfield]

Just to say I'm really enjoying these Florida shots, Celery!

Guy

[celery]

Thanks Guy

It occurs to me that it might have been more useful if I'd organised these posts by location. That way I could've given an overview of the best sites I've found to visit - their size, habitat(s), location and condition - and some information on what species people might expect to see there. Ho hum... maybe if there's any interest I'll do that when I've finished the cataloguing of species.

Onward. Some of the larger, more 'showy' species are featured here, but please note - though some of these species are often found in butterfly parks - all of these pictures are of butterflies in the wild.

21. 22. 23. 24.

21. Julia - Dryas iulia - Fairchild Botanical Gardens, Coral Gables, Florida - 22nd November, 2012
22. Malachite - Siproeta stelenes - Pine Island Ridge area at Tree Tops Regional Park, Davie, Florida - 17th November, 2014
23. Monarch - Danaus plexippus - Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida - 20th November, 2014
24. Mangrove Buckeye - Junonia evarete - J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida - 20th November, 2010

[celery]

Some more skippers...

25. 26. 27. 28.

25. Ocala Skipper - Panoquina panquin - Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida - 14th November, 2014
26. Mangrove Skipper - Phocides pigmalion - J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida - 20th November, 2010
27. Fiery Skipper - Hylephila phyleus - Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida - 14th November, 2014
28. Long-tailed Skipper - Urbanus proteus - Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014

...and some swallowtails

29. 30. 31. 15(b).

29. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail - Papilio glaucus - Mounts Botanical Garden, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014
30. Polydamas Swallowtail - Battus polydamas - Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014
31. Pipevine Swallowtail - Battus philenor - Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida - 20th November, 2014
15(b). Giant Swallowtail - Papilio cresphontes - Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables, Florida - 29th November, 2012

[celery]

Sulphurs and whites.

32. 33. 34. 35.

32. Orange-barred Sulphur - Phoebis philea - Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida - 17th November, 2013
33. Great Southern White - Ascia monuste - Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida - 17th November, 2013
34. Barred Yellow - Eurema daira - Barefoot Beach Preserve Park, Bonita Springs, Florida - 17th November, 2013
35. Cloudless Sulphur - Phoebis sennae - Fairchild Botanical Gardens, Coral Gables, Florida - 21st November, 2013

[celery]

Some blues and hairstreaks.

The Mallow Scrub-hairstreak is a terrible photo. It's also one of the very first shots of a butterfly I ever took in Florida. Arrived at motel in the dark. Got up early the next morning and went to a local cafe for breakfast. Walked back past a vacant lot which was teeming with butterflies. Nipped in to fetch my camera and started snapping away. 45 minutes and a dozen species later I called it quits. One of these species was the Mallow... I've never seen one again. It turns out it's quite a rare species. I even went back to the same vacant lot a couple of years later... but it had been recently sprayed for weeds (and probably also mosquitoes) - dying vegetation and zero butterflies... colony dispersed or lost.

The Red-banded Hairstreak is a terrible photo too. All the Florida nature books tell you this is a common and widespread species. Saw one in 2010... I've never seen one again. This one was at a distance off an elevated boardwalk in a marshy area famed for its rattlesnakes and cottonmouths. I'm not that dedicated.


36. 37. 6(b). 38.

36. Ceraunus Blue - Hemiargus ceraunus - Sanibel Island, Florida - 23rd November, 2012
37. Mallow Scrub-hairstreak - Strymon istapa - Pompano Beach, Florida - 14th November, 2010
6(b). Atala - Eumaeus atala - Pine Island Ridge area at Tree Tops Regional Park, Davie, Florida - 17th November, 2014
38. Red-banded Hairstreak - Calycopis cecrops - Corkscrew Swamp, Naples Florida - 21st November, 2010

[celery]

Four more of the larger, more tropical species.

39. 40. 41. 42.

39. Gulf Fritillary - Agraulis vanillae - Secret Woods Regional Park, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida - 15th November, 2013
40. Soldier - Danaus eresimus - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples, Florida - 16th November, 2013
41. Ruddy Daggerwing - Marpesia petreus - Fern Forest Regional Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 20th November, 2012
42. White Peacock - Anartia jatrophae - Frenchman's Forest Natural Area, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida - 27th November, 2012

[celery]

Nearing the end. Two skippers and two crescents.

43. 44. 45. 46.

43. Brazilian Skipper - Calpodes ethlius - Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples, Florida - 16th November, 2013
44. Sachem - Atalopedes campestris - Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida - 14th November, 2014
45. Pearl Crescent - Phyciodes tharos - Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014
46. Phaon Crescent - Phyciodes phaon - Fern Forest Regional Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 14th November, 2013

[celery]

Some dodgy photos amongst this batch but at least it brings me up to a round fifty species.

47. 48. 49. 50.

47. Horace's Duskywing - Erynnis horatius - Fairchild Botanical Gardens, Coral Gables, Florida - 22nd November, 2010
48. Variegated Fritillary - Euptoieta claudia - Okeeheelee Park, West Palm Beach, Florida - 15th November, 2014
49. Viceroy - Limenitis archippus - Fern Forest Regional Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 14th November, 2013
50. Eufala Skipper - Lerodea eufala - Fern Forest Regional Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 14th November, 2013

[David M]

You've had one hell of a time, Celery. Thanks for sharing such a range of species that cannot be found naturally in Europe.

[celery]

Thanks David I have had a good time. Too good in certain ways - my fondness for a tropical cocktail (or seven) means that there is hardly ever any early morning expeditions. And, of course, the sun goes down very early in winter even in Florida (around 4.45pm in late November) meaning I'm often just getting going as the daylight starts to dwindle.
I generally see around forty different species per week-long holiday, but I reckon a more dedicated observer could overtake my overall species total in a single trip.
cheers, celery

[celery]

Just a couple left to polish off this run-through of species. One couldn't be more familiar and the other I can only guess at the exact species.

Red Admiral and Painted Lady are the two British native species that also occur in Florida (dis-counting the odd stray Monarch we get) - both of which are, of course, widespread migratory species.

White Checkered-skipper and Common Checkered-skipper aren't at all easy to differentiate in the field. Ideally you need laboratory conditions in which to study the genitalia under a microscope - not really my cup of tea so it's an either/or ID in this instance.

51. 52.

51. Red Admiral - Vanessa atalanta - Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek, Florida - 14th November, 2010
52. White Checkered-skipper - Pyrgus albescens or Common Checkered-skipper - Pyrgus communis - Pompano Beach, Florida - 14th November, 2010

[NickMorgan]

Wow, now you have got me very excited. What fantastic pictures and a great variety of butterflies. We are hoping to go to Florida next summer for our family holiday. It is a kind of bribe for my son to do well in his exams next year!! Both kids want to go to the USA and he loves the idea of driving around looking at American cars and, I think, pretending he is in Grand Theft Auto!!
Of course, I am hoping that it will be good for butterflies for me!! I know it will be really hot in July and probably the butterflies will be very active. I really need to find out more about the place and consider where would be best to base ourselves.

[celery]

Hi Nick - glad to have whet your appetite.

Here's a few snippets of information that may be of some use to you.

- July is a good month to see butterflies in Florida - 4th July is when NABA (the US equivalent of Butterfly Conservation) does it's annual counts. Big counts are centred in Gainesville at the University (north-central Florida), Corkscrew Swamp (south-west) and Okeeheelee Park (south-east). So wherever you base yourself you're likely to see lots of stuff. Okeeheelee Park regularly has the highest counts - it's also a very compact area - on a bad day you'll see 30+ species in a couple of hours.

- Loads of good sites around the areas popular with holidaymakers such as Tampa/Clearwater and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Less so around Orlando but it is centrally located so if you don't mind doing the odd day trip there will be plenty to keep you satisfied.

- July is hot, very hot, it's also humid, has high rainfall (typically a two-hour thunderstorm on most afternoons) and the mosquitoes, sand fleas and biting midges can be a real pain. On the plus side the hotels are cheaper and (aside from the Brits) the place is less full of tourists.

- American tourists aren't really interested in insects. Even if they like wildlife they're much more likely to be off dolphin/manatee-spotting or poking sticks at alligators. There are quite a lot of birders - but this means there is also an abundance of nature reserves with well-marked trails ideal for exploring by lepidopterists. Most times you may well find you have the place to just you and your kin - no queueing three-deep for a glimpse of a grounded Purple Emperor.

- You should check out the websites of the various Florida chapters of NABA. Some have great information about what sites are best to visit in their locale and some of the rarer species you may encounter. I'd also recommend a book called 'Butterflies through Binoculars: Florida' by Jeffrey Glassberg et al. It has information on the species and a large section dedicated to the best sites - categorised into geographic regions. It is a bit old (published in 2000) so some of the info is slightly out-of-date, but it's a great starter book from which to explore further.

Hope you find this useful, happy to answer any specific questions, if and when you decide to take your trip.
cheers, celery

[NickMorgan]

Wow, thank you for so much useful information. That is exactly the sort of things that I wanted to find out, but it is often so difficult to get information like that. The Tourist Offices want to send you to theme parks and beaches, etc. I managed to pick up a second-hand copy of Butterflies through Binocculars a couple of weeks ago and I see the enormous number of species found in Forida. I have been wondering where the best place would be to base ourselves, given that the kids will want to see the touristy things, in order to give myself a good choice of places to head to to look for butterflies.
You have given me a lot to Google! The research into a trip abroad is sometimes as exciting as the holiday itself. Now I only hope my son applies himself at school so I don't have to go back on my word!!
Thanks again for your help.

[celery]

Cheers Nick - you could try the carrot of theme parks, attractions and beaches for your son to achieve good exam results...
but should he do poorly he gets the stick of being dragged around some of Florida's swampy hammocks, slash-pine forests and palmetto scrub with you as a punishment!

Off-topic I know, but here's a few of Florida's damsels and dragons just for the fun of it...

Band-winged Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax umbrata)

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)

Eastern Amberwing (Perithemis tenera)

Halloween Pennant (Celithemis eponina)

Rambur's Forktail (Ischnura ramburii)

Red Saddlebags (Tramea onusta)

Scarlet Skimmer (Crocothemis servilia)

Variable Dancer (Argia fumipennis)

[celery]

I'm conscious that this diary is starting to sound like a bit of an advert for the Florida Tourist Board - so allow me to change the location for a bit...

...here's a few butterflies of Barbados

Violet-banded Skipper (Nyctelius nyctelius)

Hanno Blue (Hemiargus hanno)

Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus)

Silver-banded Hairstreak (Chlorostrymon simaethis)

Little Yellow (Eurema lisa)

[NickMorgan]

Lovely pictures. I understand that Barbados is one of the less-good Caribbean islands for butterflies.