Thursday, November 24, 2011

Skippers, Wildflowers and friends on the Babcock Ranch

Back out at the Babcock Ranch Preserve in Punta Gorda, Florida.  This time with wife, Olivia for a slow walk along one of the old access roads, looking for butterflies, wildflowers and interesting insects.  Here is a  Whirlabout Skipper (Polites vibex).


Dorantes Skipper (Urbanus dorantes).

Narrow Leaf Yellowtop (Flaveria latiflora).


Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor).

Oak Toad (Bufo quericus).  Spotted this little guy on the road.


American Blueheart (Buchnera americana).


Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius).



Phaon Crescent Phiciodes phaon).  Not a Skipper, but a very beautiful Brushfoot.


Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae).  Looking like another leaf.
We have lots of these on our Butterfly Bush (Cassia bicapsularis) at home.
Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).


Paper Wasp (Polistes annularis).  That's a guess at species...but, as an amateur, I'm allowed to guess!

I thought this was a Diurnal Firefly, but now I have it on good authority that it's a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth (Cisseps fulvicollis).
Leaf Beetle (Disonycha caroliniana).
Thanks to entomologist Eric Eaton for the I.D. assist.  I have a nice copy of Kaufman's Field Guide to Insects of North America, but am still a rank amateur.



 
White Peacock Butterfly (Anartia jatrophae).

Wife, Olivia.

I really enjoy a slow "bug walk," and the old farm roads in the Babcock Ranch Preserve are perfect.





1 comment:

  1. lots of good macros in there, love the skippers. and that toad- adorable! :)

    ReplyDelete