The Lake Wales Ridge in Florida is known for its unique and diverse ecosystem, including several rare and endemic butterfly species. Here are some of the most important butterfly larval host plants found in Florida and the Lake Wales Ridge region: 1. Pawpaw (Asimina spp.): The Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) […]
Out of respect for Native America, and to better reflect the plant and its history, Johnny Butterflyseed renames Yaupon Holly (Ilex Vomitoria) to Black Drink Holly (Ilex nigrumpotum).
There are over 200 species of butterflies that can be found in Florida. Here are the ten most common ones: 1. Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia) 2. Gulf Fritillary Butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) 3. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) 4. Queen Butterfly (Danaus gilippus) 5. Eastern Black Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) 6. […]
The Lake Wales Rails-to-Trails program has missed one of its three most important targets: the removal of invasive, non-native species. The Lake Wales “Rails-to-Trails” program is great in conception. Convert a short section of unused railway into a trail to be used by citizens. The program’s site is in the […]
Johnny Butterflyseed has found a Scrub Plum (Prunus geniculata) seedling in the wild, an exceptionally rare occurrence. Scrub Plum seedlings are so rare that determining the causes of their rarity was the central focus of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s recovery plan (USFWS, 1999). In annual censuses of ~900 […]
Swallow-tailed Kites (Elanoides forficatus) are a migratory raptor who split their time between the southeastern US, and South America. They migrate to the Central Florida area by passing over (or sometimes around) the Gulf of Mexico. In the past, Johnny has been lucky enough to observe a large flock of […]
The endangered Scrub Plum (prunus geniculata) is submitted by Johnny Butterflyseed to two Florida herbaria, the first for Polk County in a third of a century.
Channel Lock pliers make the perfect tool for removing a Scrub Plum’s endocarp.