Other butterflies prefer sunnier, more open habitats. Both species also can be found at the Ochlocknee River Wildlife Management Area. Viceroy caterpillars eat willow leaves, so this butterfly is most common in wet areas such as Black Swamp Nature Preserve. Red-spotted Purples, despite looking very different, are close relatives of, which mimic Monarchs. They are excellent mimics of Pipevine Swallowtails (see the spring article) in some ways better mimics than other swallowtails. They often are seen on bare ground, especially after rains. Red-spotted Purples are found in wooded areas too, but seldom visit flowers. They are found in wooded areas, often seen sipping nectar from large, yellow blooms such as bear’s foot. Golden Banded-Skippers, rare butterflies that are a specialty of Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, seek shelter under leaves when it rains and take mid-day siestas under them when it doesn’t. When it comes to summer, butterflies don’t mind the heat and humidity. The caterpillars will then have a suitable food supply at their feet immediately after hatching. After mating, female butterflies search for just the right plants on which to lay eggs. Other plants don’t provide the right nutrients, or the caterpillar can’t handle their physical and chemical defenses. Territorial male Zabulon Skippers wait on leaves in patches of sunlight along forest trails to chase away rivals and to pursue any females that pass by.Īdult butterflies drink nectar from many different plants, but their caterpillars usually can eat the leaves or flowers of just a few kinds, sometimes only one. The latter’s pale poodle head complete with a black eyespot, silhouetted against a darker background, is visible even through the closed wings. They gain protection from predators by mimicking the toxic Pipevine Swallowtail, as do other dark swallowtails with blue on their hindwings.įirst-brood Red Admirals and Southern Dogfaces add more color to the season. Some female Tigers have a dark gray background color, rather than yellow. Pipevine Swallowtails and Eastern Tiger Swallowtails generally are out by March. However, most species have a first brood in spring then additional broods later in the year. Banded Hairstreaks are seen from late April through May Little Wood-Satyrs usually from late March through May. Nature Park are among the many local sites where butterflies find such flowers. Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, Wakulla Springs State Park, the Bear Creek Educational Forest, and Angus K. Later in the season, butterflies nectar on sparkleberry, blueberry, several milkweeds, butterfly pea, and more. Redbud, plum, willow, dewberry, and thistle are early attractions. Explore our seasonal list of beautiful butterflies to watch for:īutterfly numbers increase as plants bloom during spring. Kirk Edwards Wildlife and Environmental Area. Maclay Gardens State Park, Lake Elberta Park, as well as the L. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, the Apalachicola National Forest, Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, Alfred B. Located on two migratory pathways, top locations for observing several species of butterflies in Florida’s Capital region include St. Our warm climate and extended growing season make butterfly viewing a year-round activity. This species, like the Northern Cloudywing, is not usually found in large numbers, and one is more likely to see single individuals.Florida is home to almost 200 species of butterflies. The Northern Cloudywing is similar, but has nonaligned subapical spots, all spots are smaller in size than the Southern Cloudywing, its antenna are not light-colored at the bend, and its face is dark.
The antenna has white at the bend, and the face is white or a light gray. A brownish skipper with white, aligned subapical spots and large spots arranged transversely through the middle of the forewing, the second and third of which are joined in an hourglass-shaped spot.
0 kommentar(er)
