Posts by: Greenleif

Warning – the below photo is disturbing, but it is a reality. It is of a Loggerhead sea turtle that was admitted into the Marine Science Center on 6/16/02, and it passed away on 6/18/02. Cause of death: ingestion of foreign objects                 Some of the contents removed from its …

Do you remember when driving was allowed on Flagler’s beach, I do. For better or worse it is just a memory now, except on one small stretch of beach (according to the signs).                                             …

That is what it is all about when the Northern Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) come to town. Last year I spotted my first right whale off the coast of 13th south in Flagler Beach, on the way to the farmers market.  If you see tons of cars haphazardly parked on the side of A1A and …

Winter is here, and we sure do feel it. The landscape has changed with the season. Leaves cover the lawn instead of adorning the trees and berries replace flowers as the food source. Below are a few native options for your yard. Weeping Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria “weeping”) with its festive red berries. Only the …

Many times plants are purchased because of their pretty or colorful blooms. Then a week later it is just another plant, lost in the sea of green. That is not the case with the native deciduous shrub Callicarpa americana aka Beautyberry. In May and June the Beautyberry blooms, small sometimes inconspicuous, pink to lavender flowers (see …

Everyone who grew up in Flagler has visited this historic landmark at least once either on a school field trip or when family came to town. It is not the same place it used to be (no more 3d theater, flamingos, or giant playground) but still a great destination. My first visit to the new Marineland …

The below little beauty is a Epidendrum magnoliae aka Green Fly Orchid currently blooming in its foster home a Southern Red Cedar. It flowers from August – March and sporadically thru the year. They can be found in north Florida (Volusia is as far south) west to Lousiana and north along the coast to North Carolina. It …

I started taking the below photos last summer in hopes of spotting a honey bee. I kept going back to my  Spotted Bee Balm aka Spotted Horsemint aka Dotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata) that is slowly taking over the back yard. This year I got my bee photos, and in the process noticed a lot of other …

Nature is an amazing thing when you take the time to enjoy it. While on the hunt for Gulf Fritillary photos, I realized I was witnessing the Gulf Fritillary laying eggs on the Passion Vine (Passiflora). When you are speeding thru life you can miss some amazing things, so slow down and “smell the roses.”

Another local you might see fluttering around in your garden is the Gulf fritillary. The larvae form can be found chewing on native and nonnative species of Passiflora (host food plant). I recently noticed the Gulf fritillary flying and landing for a second, then repeating this over and over. Taking a closer look I realized …