Insects
The Buzz at Arbor Lakes
On a mid-February Florida afternoon, Anne steps out the back door and hastily retreats. “There are lots of bees flying in the backyard.” As I opened the door, I instantly hear the faint, but distinctive hum of bees. There are dozens of small bees flying inches above the ground and hovering over what looks like anthills […]
The Moth With Eyes
One of my favorite North American moths is the Polyphemus moth. It is large with a 6 inch wing span. I recently found a hind wing of this species on a sidewalk here at Arbor Lakes. It is easy to identify because it has a purplish spot on its each hind wing that resembles an […]
The Monarch Mimic? Or is it the Other Way Around?
At one time this butterfly was thought to mimic the poisonous monarch butterfly to protect itself from being eaten. Monarch caterpillars eating milkweed absorbed substances called glycosides that are not only distasteful, but harmful to the heart of predators eating them. The non-poisonous viceroy butterfly gained protection from predators by mimicking the monarch. But in […]
The Broken Butterfly
Flying dragons, leaping lizards, parasitic wasps and giant spiders are just a few of the marauders of these beautiful creatures. How well they escape the grasps of these hunters determines if they live or die. Being a strong, agile flier is an asset to the Tiger Swallowtail. The ability to change directions in a split […]
The Buzz About Cicadas
“And the locusts sang off in the distance Yeah, the locusts sang such a sweet melody Oh the locusts sang off in the distance Yeah, the locusts sang and they were singin’ for me” “Day of the Locusts” Bob Dylan Bob Dylan wrote this song after receiving an honorary degree from Princeton University at […]
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