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Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 18h

This plant is known as Phasey Bean
It's flowers are zygomorphic - let me explain:
The flower can be cut into two equal parts
But only if you cut along one specific plane.

(The linked video explains... more... buff.ly/3gCX89A

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 1d

I am a Horace's Duskywing
I have tiny white spots, but I'm mostly dark brown
When I was young I used to feed on Oak leaves
And I'm common in Florida year round

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/UEJi6ZE

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

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Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 2d

I am known as a Swarthy Skipper
The name is a reference to my color
I don't really have any defining marks
My mate looks like me, but even duller.

Sources: buff.ly/jydxIbm

buff.ly/w5S2YkV
More... buff.ly/SAqdNtr

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 3d

I am a Salt Marsh Moth caterpillar
When I grow up I'll be a pretty white moth
But for now I can be quite a pest -
I'm known for damaging fall-planted crops

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/mqG0KGB

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 4d

This plant is Golden Canna
It is good for preventing soil erosion
It's also a host for Skipper caterpillars
But it's cold-sensitive and it's roots can get frozen.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/5XMdsI3

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 5d

I am an Ocola Skipper
I can be identified by my spots
One in particular is arrowhead shaped
The rest are just yellow-white dots.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Sources: buff.ly/1BLMfj2

buff.ly/SEgeL6T

More... buff.ly/VdTx1D9

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 6d

I am known as a Whirlabout
I'm easily confused with the Fiery Skipper
But the Fiery's spots look like black pepper
My spots look like chocolate chippers!

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Sources: buff.ly/FVaegFX

More... buff.ly/5H1c5lV

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 7d

I am known as a Four-spotted Scoliid Wasp
I am a parasitoid of the larvae of Beetles
Parasites feed on critters but don't kill their host
I kill beetles, but generally don't hurt people.

Location: Kissimmee... (more... buff.ly/izEHTu4)

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 8d

I am known as a Florida Viceroy
I am orange and white and black
I am hatching out of my chrysalis now
I need to find a new home, I'm too big to go back!

(Shown below is a different Florida Viceroy's chrysalis.)

More... buff.ly/Q1f74u0

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 9d

I am a Delaware Skipper
I am known for my large proboscis
This lets me get nectar from deep floral tubes
So it doesn't make me self conscious.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/zxOrzlC

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

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Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 10d

I am an Ornate Pennant Dragonfly
I have a colored patch on my hindwings
I also have large, dark red eyes
The better to see you, sweet thing!

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/Z5OLHgB

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 11d

I am a Common Buckeye butterfly
You are probably used to seeing me
With large eyespots of purple and orange
But my wings are open, usually.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/xBcM1KF

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 12d

I am an Aaron's Skipper butterfly
I can be found near coastal salt marshes
I like to get nectar from pickerelweed
I eat simple sugar, but I don't do starches.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/ln2zyFB

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 13d

I am known as a Squirrel Treefrog
I like to eat spiders and termites
I'll also eat ant, beetles and crickets
But I'm small, so humans are one thing I won't bite!

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/5xcTuNY

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 14d

I am an Orange-spotted Flower Moth
I'm tiny - my wings are just over a quarter inch
As a larvae I ate plants in the Spermacoce genus
But I'll eat Richardia grandiflora in a pinch.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/1WmJtSL

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

1

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 15d

I am a Loammi Skipper butterfly
My antennae are short and my eyes are large
Sadly I am an endangered species
Habitat loss makes my survival quite hard.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/LCtHFwZ

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 16d

I am known as a Queen butterfly
That doesn't mean anything scandalous
I'm colorful, pretty and bold
Some people even call me fabulous!

More... buff.ly/hFaAscY

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 17d

I am a male (shown first) Black Swallowtail
I am more colorful than my mate
But she is a better Pipevine mimic
And thus, less likely to be ate!

More... buff.ly/X4FmBti

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 18d

This flower is known as Pine Lily
It grows well in wet prairies and savannahs
It's fruit is a small capsule that bursts open when ripe
- not the yellow things that look like tiny bananas.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

October 13, 2025

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 19d

I am known as a Florida Bee Killer
So called because bee killing's my hobby
There have been some bee losses in Florida
But not enough to start an anti-Bee Killer lobby.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/CTLJwk8

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 20d

This flower is known as a Butterfly Pea
From the top it kind of looks like a fat duck
It grows on trailing vines in pine forests
On the ground when it can't find a tree trunk.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/ERFaOg5

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 21d

We are all Phaon Crescent Butterflies
Our colors vary, but the species is immutable
Whether looking at insects, birds, or humans
Diversity makes every species beautiful.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/4zLBrML

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 22d

I am a Little Metalmark
So called, because my wings look soldered
Other than that
I'm orange and black
And between the solder is spotted.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/p9SWPST

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 23d

I am known as a Southern Toad
I blend in with my surroundings just swell!
It's easy to sneak
Up on what I like to eat
Crickets, roaches and other invertebrates as well.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/UjqVJLA

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson

Dee at 8 a.m. @deeat8am.bsky.social · 24d

We are Osceola Turkeys
In the right light, our feathers can look purplish-green
Our subspecies is unique to Florida
Where we spend our days eating insects, and berries and seeds.

Location: Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

More... buff.ly/UN6eaC2

Photo and text © 2025 Dee Fairbanks Simpson