Identification Pending, photographed in Lowndes county, Georgia (11 March 2013). http://dusttracks.com.
The moth was first seen at night, bunkered on my back exterior wall near a patio light. It remained stationary throughout the evening and into the morning.
Identification Pending, photographed in Lowndes county, Georgia (11 March 2013). http://dusttracks.com.
Notes: The moth was stationary on my back exterior wall in Valdosta, Georgia. Identification assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Stereum sp., photographed in Lowndes county, Georgia (19 October 2012). http://dusttracks.com.
Stereum sp., photographed in Lowndes county, Georgia (19 October 2012). http://dusttracks.com.
Stereum sp., photographed in Lowndes county, Georgia (19 October 2012). http://dusttracks.com.
I was a bit surprised to find this N. domiciliorum still webbed up, out, and about just past noon on 19 October. Granted, it was somewhat shaded, but I don't often find these out in the open during mid-day. A cool spider, no doubt.
~ janson jones,
http://dusttracks.com
Seemingly ever-present sargussum at Bahia Honda State Park. Any ideas of species, though?
janson jones,
http://dusttracks.com
This set consists of two turtles next to each other in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in far-south Georgia. Specifically, this is in the Chesser Prairie region of the Okefenokee. My first impression was that these were Pseudemys nelsoni (the Florida red-bellied cooter), but they could also be Pseudemys floridana (the Florida cooter) -- two species of the same genus. Of course, I could be off on the genus, as well. Could it be Trachemys scripta? I'm simply not a turtle expert and I have some sort of strange cognitive dissonance when it comes to anapsids. Apparently. Any ideas?
~ Janson Jones,
http://dusttracks.com
Kayaking through the eastern Okefenokee, there were more than a few forktails dallying about. The blue one featured here is an adult female, I believe, and the red one is an immature femail. Having said that, I'm not a forktail expert, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong! Inquiring minds want to know!
Janson Jones,
http://dusttracks.com
I found this oak toad popping around the edge of a trail in Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia. A classic little fella and one that simply didn't want to cooperate. I played hell trying to get this toad to sit still for a moment.
Janson Jones,
http://dusttracks.com
I haven't seen a glass lizard in some time, but they are no doubt quite common throughout Grand Bay. This is an abundant --albeit secretive-- species. As our summer temperatures begin to ease into the less-harsh Autumn months, I expect to see more of these out and about at Grand Bay.
Janson Jones,
http://dusttracks.com
This is, I believe, Dolomedes okefinokensis, the Okefenokee Fishing Spider. Ranging throughout south Georgia and north Florida (at the very least), this is an impressive species of fishing spider found above the waterline, from where it hunts passing prey underneath. This particular individual was perched a few feet from the boardwalk trail at Grand Bay WMA and was rather fiesty. It wasn't happy I was photographing it and repeatedly moved to the opposite ends of its foliage to avoid my sightline.
Janson Jones, http://dusttracks.com
This lovely alien warship was cruising up a shoreline tree at Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge in southern Georgia. I was stalking a hapless southern leopard frog, when the mantis caught my attention scurrying up the tree. When she (I assume she's a she because of her considerable size, but it's only a guess) was about three feet from the ground, she paused and wavered laterally, like a leaf blowing in the breeze. Then, she'd take a single step and waver again for a few seconds. Then another step, followed by more wavering. And on and on. An awesome mantis, an awesome encounter!
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
Here's one I need help with: A slew of caterpillars (right?) embedded in a weblike encasing between two boardwalk rails at Grand Bay WMA in south Georgia, suspended over the cypress swamp waters by about two to three feet. When it comes to Lepidoptera, I'm far from being an expert -- particularly when it comes to larval stages. Any ideas? (And hopefully I at least got Lepidoptera right!!!)
I'll update this description if and when we peg down an identification.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.
This is a rather faded striped mud turtle, Kinosternon baurii, photographed at Grand Bay WMA in southern Georgia on 22 June 2012. Mud turtles are quite common in this neck of the woods. Unfortunately, I see them DOR quite often, as they hit the roads after heavy summer rains. Fortunately this little camper was alive and kicking.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
I cannot for the life of me figure out what species this is! I was able to snag a couple of quick shots of this dragonfly before it darted off over our fence, back to the northeast -- toward the creek basin. Any ideas?
Updated for Slaty Skimmer. See comments below.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
Behold! The Great Blue Skimmer! This rather awesome adult male decided to land himself on my fence and just chill the hell out. I had time to go get my camera, come back, creep close, and shoot some awesome macros before he decided to finally take flight and disappear over the fence. A fantastic dragonfly!
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
The only thing really remarkable about this one is that I managed to actually catch it. I caught a fleeting glimpse of the skink disappearing beneath a bed a pine needles in my backyard. Somehow I managed to find the little scamper! We've got quite a few of these on our property, but most of them remain well hidden and out of sight.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
A fork-tailed bush katydid visited the back patio on 17 June 2012. I have no idea what's going on with the posterior, but welcome any explanation from those more In-The-Know!!!
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This northern dusk singing cicada, Tibicen auletes, was just completing ecdysis, the process of shedding its pupal exoskeleton and taking the form of an adult (imago) cicada. Most of the cicada’s life is spent as a pupa, hidden underground and feeding from tree roots. Quite late in its life span, it emerges from the ground, sheds its pupal exoskeleton, and assumes its winged, adult form with a new brand-spanking-new exoskeleton. Only then is the cicada a sexually-reproducable adult.
I was quite lucky to find this bright green cicada just at the end of ecdysis. By the time I ran back inside, grabbed my camera, and got back to the fence line, the cicada had just finished emerging from the old exoskeleton.
This is Tibicen auletes, the Northern dusk singing cicada, photographed in my backyard on 17 June 2012. We had a ton of these in the neighborhood during June, flying into the house, calling from the trees, and making a general racket. This individual was fairly sedate, perhaps starting to wind down?
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
Commonly known as both alligator flag and fire flag (along with a handful of other common names), Thalia geniculata is robustly present in the cypress swamps of Corkscrew in southwest Florida. So much so, this cluster of alligator flag even warranted an identification post for visitors like myself! Corkscrew was essentially dry during this visit, though the the alligator flag didn't seem to notice. It was healthy, thick, and vibrantly green.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This is a Tillandsia airplant, though I'm not sure of the species. I'd love help pegging down the identification! South Florida is, of course, a mecca for airplanes and Corkscrew Swamp certainly isn't an exception. The cypress swamp region is adorned by innumerable Tillandsia airplants.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
An Atlantic sand crab (aka "mole crab") in New Smyrna Beach. The dude has recently tumbled himself to death. Heh.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
Coquina are quite abundant throughout central Florida's Atlantic beaches. Having said that, I used to see them *all the time* when I was a kid in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Nowadays, they're not rare, but they're not overly abundant either.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This diminutive tropical orbweaver spider was one of many spider species found in my parents' backyard in Mt. Dora in May 2012. I spent several nights patrolling their property late at night and saw dozens of species in the area. Impressive biodiversity!
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This giant leaf-footed bug was patrolling the boardwalk trail at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in southwest Florida.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
Fortunately for me, there were a couple of hardcore birders in the area when I spotted this downy woodpecker. They verified (most assertively) that this was a downy and not a hairy. Personally, I have a hell of a time distinguishing the two from lack of experience. Glad these folks were in the area and glad I'm starting to chalk up some experience!
- janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This is a citrine forktail; more specifically, it's an immature female citrine forktail. I identified the little lovely with the help of Giff Beaton's Dragonflies & Damselflies of Georgia and the Southeast (U. of Georgia Press 2007). The tiny little grace dallied about one of our backyard shrubs for a few moments and then sliced her way through the air and over our fence. Glad I spotted her. She was quite lovely!
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com
This is a male Argyra orchard spider, Leucauge argyra, photographed one May evening in my parents' backyard. The photo was overexposed a bit to wash out the white privacy sense and to catch a little more lightness to the spider's frame.
~ janson jones, http://dusttracks.com.
