Smart peacocks...

Resident Terri Morrison sent this photo of birds who know the value of getting out of the rain!

Some of the creatures of late fall. The butterflies are getting tattered, other things are moving more slowly in the cool air, or spending more time soaking up some sun.  A great time for FishHawk residents to get out and about with their cameras!

Gulf fritillary

Cloudless sulphur butterfly, Phoebis sennae eubule

Resident Kenneth Llera has submitted another batch of beautiful shots of the ponds and critters of FishHawk Ranch.

Photos submitted by resident Ed Salvadore
be sure to click on photos for a larger view

Great blue heron Ardea herodias

Red-shouldered hawk Buteo lineatus

Resident Angela Macias used her I-phone to get a pic of this golden orb spider at the Aquatic Club.

Photos submitted by resident Kenneth Llera, a photography student with a great eye!

Alafia River north of Starling

black and yellow garden spider, Argiope aurantia

Cannas

Overcast

Trails

The eastern lubber Romalea guttata has been very active in the last few weeks. May look scary and gross to some, but check out the beauty that nature has given us!

Hawk and green treefrog photos submitted by resident Gilberto Carreras

Green treefrog  Hyla cinerea

Red-shouldered hawk  Buteo lineatus

Dragonfly photos submitted by resident Jennifer Schmidt.

If you wait, they will land.

September is prime butterfly time in FishHawk Ranch.  I recently waited close to the flowering plants around the large pond between Heron Glen and Teal Rise. I spotted about 7-8 types of butterflies and here are some of the photos that resulted. So, grab your camera, a couple bottles of water and plenty of patience, it will pay off.

Gulf Fritillary  Agraulis vanillae

 Monarch  Danaus plexippus

White Peacock  Anartia jatrophae

 Not sure of this one

Fall Fungi

September is a little late to find much fungus, however, it continues to lurk in the wooded areas and long the trails. I hope not to bore visitors with all the fungi photos, but there is such a variety in style and color. Here are a few recent finds from the conservation area between Eagle Ridge and FishHawk Blvd.

The largest find of the day, about 7 inches diameter.

The smallest find of the day, less than 1/4 inch diameter.

Beautyberry photos submitted by resident Greg Dean.

American beautyberry, Callicarpa americana.   A member of the verbena family, these bushes grow throughout the area.  FishHawk Ranch homeowners will often see birds enjoying the fruit.

Rhinoceros beetle. Although fierce looking, these are harmless to humans.

Baby gopher snake,  Pituophis catenifer, very common throughout FishHawk Ranch. These are non-venomous snakes and are beneficial, although they will often hiss and rattle their tail like a rattlesnake when disturbed.  They do not have rattles. They should not be destroyed. 

 

 

Sculptured Pine Borer - Chalcophora virginiensis

This beetle is common in the area, about an 1 to 1.25 inch in length, with  bronze/metallic underside markings. The larvae of this insect feeds on live pines and can eventually kill the tree. I do not usually advocate destroying critters, but these really should be destroyed.