Gary Helm
" Bad Rep"
Thistles have a bad reputation for their spiny personality, but these formidable wildflowers shine as favorite nectar and host plants for many bees and butterflies, including swallowtails. This one seemed popular with a Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly along with a skipper, don't know the kind and two little green bees (Or wasp)
enjoying its Bounty. Found a Bumble bee on another one. A Monarch Butterfly on yet another and a black swallow tail butterfly on another one.
The roadside in Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Osceola County is lined with thousands or at least hundreds of these prickly wildflowers!
Don't know what kind of thistle it is either.
Update: Robert Simons tells me this is the native Florida thistle known variously as purple thistle, yellow thistle, and bull thistle. The Latin name is Cirsium horridulum. Thanks Robert!
Also been advised that the Skipper is a "Twin-spot skipper".
Thanks to Mary Keim for identification on the skipper.
" Bad Rep"
Thistles have a bad reputation for their spiny personality, but these formidable wildflowers shine as favorite nectar and host plants for many bees and butterflies, including swallowtails. This one seemed popular with a Palamedes Swallowtail butterfly along with a skipper, don't know the kind and two little green bees (Or wasp)
enjoying its Bounty. Found a Bumble bee on another one. A Monarch Butterfly on yet another and a black swallow tail butterfly on another one.
The roadside in Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Osceola County is lined with thousands or at least hundreds of these prickly wildflowers!
Don't know what kind of thistle it is either.
Update: Robert Simons tells me this is the native Florida thistle known variously as purple thistle, yellow thistle, and bull thistle. The Latin name is Cirsium horridulum. Thanks Robert!
Also been advised that the Skipper is a "Twin-spot skipper".
Thanks to Mary Keim for identification on the skipper.