![]() We spent time across nearly all state-owned lands in north Florida where records of rare species were known, including within Florida’s state parks. Dean and Sally Jue from the Florida Natural Areas Inventory and Kathy Malone of Gainesville’s local chapter of North American Butterfly Association were awarded a state grant to evaluate rare butterflies from 2007-2010. ![]() I have studied imperiled butterflies since 2008 when I was asked to participate in the statewide assessment and distribution of rare butterflies on Florida’s conservation lands. Studying Imperiled and Endangered Butterflies Nonetheless, a butterfly caterpillar can be extremely picky about the foods they eat, and adult females are especially selective about which host plants are suitable for laying their eggs. Mourning cloak can be observed at Paynes Prairie Preserve, Little Talbot Island and Big Talbot Island state parksįlorida has many suitable habitats for butterflies, so anywhere you find wildflowers you can probably see a butterfly flitting around. However, the life cycle for some longer-lived butterflies can be up to several months to a year as is the case with the Mourning Cloak ( Nymphalis antiopa). The adult stage is the one that we most often observe as they search for flower nectar in gardens or along roadside habitats.Īdult butterflies typically live short lives with the average somewhere between a week and a month. Like insects, a butterfly’s life cycle is complex, with four general stages, namely egg, caterpillar, chrysalis (or pupa stage) and adult. A Florida butterfly’s life cycle can intersect with over 60 natural community types that are found throughout the state. Like many other organisms, butterflies can be habitat generalists or specialists. ![]() Similarly, butterflies are directly tied to a variety of suitable habitats. Since north Florida is closer to and resembles a temperate zone, and the southern part of the state a tropical zone, the weather gradient from north to south can be significant.įlorida’s climate strongly influences the distribution of butterflies in the state. Two important factors that greatly contribute to its variable climate are that it is bordered on three sides by warm marine waters and it is positioned at the same latitude as some of the world’s largest deserts. All four federally listed species occur only in the extreme south portion of the state.įlorida’s peninsula is in a unique place on the North American continent. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species list. At least 44 of those species have received a high ranking for being imperiled or critically imperiled, with four specifically on a U.S. They also opened my eyes to an alluring group of spineless critters that I, as a trained herpetologist (someone who studies reptiles and amphibians), would never have thought I wanted to understand so intimately, the invertebrates!įlorida’s state butterfly, Zebra heliconian, at Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.įlorida has over 60 rare butterflies that have undergone an imperiled species evaluation and continue to be studied for their endangerment. They introduced me to a national butterfly count that has been conducted twice a year since the early 1990s. My early insect mentors were Randy Snyder and Mary Keim. ![]() I fell in love with butterflies while I was a biologist at Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka, Florida. ![]() San Felasco Hammock Preserve State Park Ichetucknee Springs State Park Rainbow Springs State Park Manatee Springs State Park Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Fort Cooper State Park O'Leno State Park Suwannee River State Park Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Crystal River Preserve State Park Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park Big Shoals State Park Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park Little Talbot Island State Park Big Talbot Island State Park Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenwayīutterflies, a specific group of insects that belong to the scientific order Lepidoptera, are one of Florida’s fantastic examples of Mother Nature’s artistic beauty. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |