"In Florida, Guiana and Brazil is a small insect which a French naturalist calls 'le Petit Diable," which is French for 'the little devil.'"1. Hypsauchenia balista2. Membracis foliata3. Centrotus cornutus4. Umbonia spinosa5. Bocydium globulare6. Cyphonia furcata

Bugs

"In Florida, Guiana and Brazil is a small insect which a French naturalist calls 'le Petit Diable,"…

Oculina ranges from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, though the main population of concern is off east-central Florida where it forms unique thicket-type structures in 70-100 meters (230 to 330 ft) depth known as the "Oculina Banks". Colonies are arborescent, with highly clumped, irregular bushy branches.

Oculina Virginea (Lamarck)

Oculina ranges from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina through the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, though the…

The Florida Rosemary: "Ceratiola ericoides. 1. a male flower; 2. a female; 3. a view of the ovary, with its side removed to show the ovules; 4. ripe fruit; 5. section across a seed." -Lindley, 1853

Florida Rosemary

The Florida Rosemary: "Ceratiola ericoides. 1. a male flower; 2. a female; 3. a view of the ovary, with…

A Florida plant, the buckwheat tree: "Mylocaryum ligustrinum. 1. a flower; 2. stamens; 3. ovary; 4. section of seed." -Lindley, 1853

Buckwheat Tree

A Florida plant, the buckwheat tree: "Mylocaryum ligustrinum. 1. a flower; 2. stamens; 3. ovary; 4.…

Used as landscaping in Florida, the Geiger tree is a tropical plant known for its flowers. "Cordia Sebestena. 1. calyx; 2. pistil; 3. transverse section of embryo." -Lindley, 1853

Geiger Tree

Used as landscaping in Florida, the Geiger tree is a tropical plant known for its flowers. "Cordia Sebestena.…

Used as landscaping in Florida, the Geiger tree is a tropical plant known for its flowers. "Cordia Sebestena. 1. calyx; 2. pistil; 3. transverse section of embryo." -Lindley, 1853

Geiger Tree

Used as landscaping in Florida, the Geiger tree is a tropical plant known for its flowers. "Cordia Sebestena.…

Native to Florida, Crescentia obovata or the Black Calabash tree is a flowering plant of the Bignoniaceae family.

Black Calabash Tree

Native to Florida, Crescentia obovata or the Black Calabash tree is a flowering plant of the Bignoniaceae…

A cross section of the fruit of the black calabash tree (Crescentia cucurbitina), native to Florida.

Black Calabash Fruit

A cross section of the fruit of the black calabash tree (Crescentia cucurbitina), native to Florida.

Scene where Pedro Menendez de Aviles, an explorer and founder of St. Augustine, murdered the Huguenots who had settles in Florida.

Scene of the Murder of the Huguenots by Menendez

Scene where Pedro Menendez de Aviles, an explorer and founder of St. Augustine, murdered the Huguenots…

An illustration of a Florida mangrove swamp.

Mangrove Swamp

An illustration of a Florida mangrove swamp.

Mangroves (generally) are trees and shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics. The word is used in at least three senses: (1) most broadly to refer to the habitat and entire plant assemblage or mangal, for which the terms mangrove swamp and mangrove forest are also used, (2) to refer to all trees and large shrubs in the mangal, and (3) narrowly to refer to the mangrove family of plants, the Rhizophoraceae, or even more specifically just to mangrove trees of the genus Rhizophora. Mangals are found in depositional coastal environments where fine sediments, often with high organic content, collect in areas protected from high energy wave action.

Mangrove

Mangroves (generally) are trees and shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics.…

An illustration of a pineapple field in Key Largo, Florida.

Pineapple Field

An illustration of a pineapple field in Key Largo, Florida.

An illustration of Indian Key located in the Florida Keys. Indian Key State Historic Site is an island within the Florida State Park system located just a few hundred yards southeast of U.S. 1 within the Florida Keys. The island was briefly inhabited in the middle of the 19th century, but is now uninhabited. It is frequently visited by tourists, and is the subject of an archaeological project to uncover the historic building foundations. Some of the survivors of the 19 ships of the 1733 Spanish treasure fleet wrecked in the Florida Keys by a hurricane camped on Indian Key until they were rescued.

Indian Key

An illustration of Indian Key located in the Florida Keys. Indian Key State Historic Site is an island…

An illustration of a Florida Cracker. Florida Cracker refers to the original colonial era American pioneer settlers of the State of Florida. The first Florida Crackers arrived in 1763 when Spain traded Florida to Great Britain. The British divided the territory into East Florida and West Florida, and began to aggressively recruit settlers to the area, offering free land and financial backing for export-oriented business.

Florida Cracker

An illustration of a Florida Cracker. Florida Cracker refers to the original colonial era American pioneer…

An illustration of Seahorse Key lighthouse which is located in Cedar Keys, a cluster of islands close to the mainland of Florida.

Seahorse Key

An illustration of Seahorse Key lighthouse which is located in Cedar Keys, a cluster of islands close…

An illustration of Biscayne Bay, is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles (56 km) long and up to 8 miles (13 km) wide located on the Atlantic coast of south Florida. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts, North Bay, Central Bay and South Bay. North Bay separates Miami Beach on its barrier island from Miami on the mainland. It has been severely affected over the last century by raw sewage releases, urban runoff, shoreline bulkheading, dredging, the creation of artificial islands and the loss of natural fresh water flow into the bay. North Bay accounts for only 10% of the water area of the bay. Central Bay is the largest part of the bay. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Safety Valve, a series of shallow flats separated by tidal flow channels, stretching from the south end of Key Biscayne to the Ragged Keys at the north end of the Florida Keys. It has been adversely affected primarily by bulkheading, urban runoff discharged by canals, and the loss of natural fresh water flow. South Bay is nearly as large as Central Bay, and is the least affected by human activities, although it also suffers from the loss of natural fresh water flow. South Bay is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the northernmost of the Florida Keys, and is connected to Florida Bay through channels and "sounds" lying between the mainland and the keys.

Biscayne Bay

An illustration of Biscayne Bay, is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles (56 km) long and up to 8…

An illustration of the mouth of the Miami River. The Miami River is a river in Florida that drains out of the Everglades and runs through downtown Miami, Florida. The 5.5 mile (8.9 km) long river flows from the terminus of the Miami Canal at Miami International Airport to Biscayne Bay. It was originally a natural river inhabited at its mouth by the Tequesta Indians, but it was dredged and is now polluted because of its proximity to the Miami-Dade County. The mouth of the river is now home to the Port of Miami and many other businesses whose pressure to maintain it has helped to improve the river's condition.

Miami River

An illustration of the mouth of the Miami River. The Miami River is a river in Florida that drains out…

The Everglades is a subtropical wetland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large watershed. The system begins near Orlando with the Kissimmee River, which discharges into the vast but shallow Lake Okeechobee. Water leaving the lake in the wet season forms a slow-moving river 60 miles (97 km) wide and over 100 miles (160 km) long, flowing southward across a limestone shelf to Florida Bay at the southern end of the state. The ever-changing Everglades are shaped by water and fire, with frequent flooding in the wet season and drought in the dry season.

Everglades

The Everglades is a subtropical wetland located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida,…

Roystonea (Royal Palm) is a genus of 10 species of monoecious palms, native to tropical regions of Florida, the Caribbean, and the adjacent coasts of Central and South America. Named for Roy Stone, a U.S. Army engineer, the genus contains some of the most recognizable and commonly cultivated palms (R. regia) in tropical and subtropical regions.

Royal Palm

Roystonea (Royal Palm) is a genus of 10 species of monoecious palms, native to tropical regions of Florida,…

The Fort Zachary Taylor State Historic Site, better known simply as Fort Taylor, (or Fort Zach to locals), is a Florida State Park and National Historic Landmark centered on a Civil War-era fort located near the southern tip of Key West, Florida. Construction of the fort began in 1845 as part of a mid-1800s plan to defend the southeast coast through a series of forts. The fort was named for United States President Zachary Taylor in 1850, a few months after President Taylor's sudden death in office. Yellow fever epidemics and material shortages slowed construction of the fort, which continued throughout the 1850s.

Fort Taylor

The Fort Zachary Taylor State Historic Site, better known simply as Fort Taylor, (or Fort Zach to locals),…

An illustration of Fort Jefferson which is located today in what is Dry Tortugas National Park. Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. The park covers 101 mi² (262 km²), mostly water, about 68 statute miles (109 km) west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fort Jefferson

An illustration of Fort Jefferson which is located today in what is Dry Tortugas National Park. Dry…

An illustration of a Calabash tree and ways to utilize the shell of the fruit it produces. Crescentia (Calabash tree, huingo, krabasi, or kalebas) is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to southern Florida, the Caribbean, southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. The species are small trees growing to 10 m tall, and producing large spherical fruits up to half a meter in diameter.

Calabash Tree

An illustration of a Calabash tree and ways to utilize the shell of the fruit it produces. Crescentia…

In 1562, Ribault was chosen to lead an expedition to the New World to establish a haven for the Huguenots. With a fleet of 150 colonists he crossed the Atlantic Ocean and explored the mouth of the St. Johns River in modern-day Jacksonville, Florida.

The Huguenots - Landing of John Ribault

In 1562, Ribault was chosen to lead an expedition to the New World to establish a haven for the Huguenots.…

Seeds of Florida elms: the samara of (a), white ash (Fraxinus americana); (b), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra); and (c), sweet birch (Betula lenta).

Florida Elms

Seeds of Florida elms: the samara of (a), white ash (Fraxinus americana); (b), slippery elm (Ulmus rubra);…

Common in Florida, the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is a large bird with a wingspan of up to seven feet. As an adult, it has a distinct red spot on its head and face.

Sandhill Crane

Common in Florida, the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) is a large bird with a wingspan of up to seven…

Fort Jefferson was built in 1826 in Garden Key, Florida and used in the American Civil War.

Fort Jefferson, Garden Key

Fort Jefferson was built in 1826 in Garden Key, Florida and used in the American Civil War.

Fort Taylor was built in 1845 in Key West, Florida and used in the American Civil War.

Fort Taylor, Key West

Fort Taylor was built in 1845 in Key West, Florida and used in the American Civil War.

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after the European Robin because of the male's bright red breast, though the two species are not related. The American Robin is widely distributed throughout North America, wintering south of Canada from Florida to central Mexico and along the Pacific Coast. It is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin. It has seven subspecies, but only T. m. confinis in the southwest is particularly distinctive, with pale gray-brown underparts.

Young American Robins

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after…

The Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a small North American vole found across Canada, Alaska and the northern United States. Its range extends further south along the Atlantic coast. One subspecies, the Florida Salt Marsh Vole, is found in Florida, and is classified as endangered. The Meadow Vole is active year-round, usually at night. It also digs underground burrows where it stores food for the winter and females give birth to their young. Although these animals tend to live close together, they are aggressive towards one other. This is particularly evident in males during the breeding season. It can cause damage to fruit trees, garden plants and commercial grain crops.

Field Mouse

The Meadow Vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), sometimes called the Field Mouse or Meadow Mouse, is a small…

The Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, is a small New World warbler. It breeds in northern and eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida. This species is migratory, wintering in Florida, Central America and the West Indies down to Peru. This species is a very rare vagrant to western Europe, mainly to Ireland and Great Britain. This species is 13 cm long and weighs 11 g. The summer male Black-and-white Warbler is boldly streaked in black and white, and the bird has been described as a flying humbug. There are two white wing bars. Female and juvenile plumages are similar, but duller and less streaked.

Black and White Warbler

The Black-and-white Warbler, Mniotilta varia, is a small New World warbler. It breeds in northern and…

An illustration of a Io moth caterpillar. The io moth (Automeris io) is a very colorful North American moth in the Saturniidae family. It ranges from the southeast corner of Manitoba and in the southern extremes of Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick in Canada, and in the US it is found from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, east of those states and down to the southern end of Florida.

Io Moth Caterpillar

An illustration of a Io moth caterpillar. The io moth (Automeris io) is a very colorful North American…

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after the European Robin because of the male's bright red breast, though the two species are not related. The American Robin is widely distributed throughout North America, wintering south of Canada from Florida to central Mexico and along the Pacific Coast. It is the state bird of Connecticut, Michigan and Wisconsin. It has seven subspecies, but only T. m. confinis in the southwest is particularly distinctive, with pale gray-brown underparts.

American Robin

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a migratory songbird of the thrush family. It is named after…

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as Pennsylvania and British Columbia, but northern populations are generally migratory, moving south to Mexico and the southern United States. The Red-winged Blackbird is sexually dimorphic; the male has all black with a red shoulder and yellow wing bar, while the female is a nondescript dark brown. Seeds and insects make up the bulk of the Red-winged Blackbird's diet.

Red-winged Blackbird

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in…

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as Pennsylvania and British Columbia, but northern populations are generally migratory, moving south to Mexico and the southern United States. The Red-winged Blackbird is sexually dimorphic; the male has all black with a red shoulder and yellow wing bar, while the female is a nondescript dark brown. Seeds and insects make up the bulk of the Red-winged Blackbird's diet.

Red-winged Blackbird (Female)

The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in…

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It occurs along inland waterways as well as in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska down to Florida and Mexico. Measuring 70–90 cm (28–35 in) in length, it is an all-black bird which gains a small double crest of black and white feathers in breeding season. It has a bare patch of orange-yellow facial skin. Five subspecies are recognized.

Double-crested Cormorant

The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds.…

Lewis Warrington (3 November 1782 – 12 October 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy during the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812. He temporarily served as the Secretary of the Navy.Promoted to Master Commandant in July 1813, he took command of the sloop-of-war Peacock later in the year. On 12 March 1814, he put to sea with his new command bound for the naval station at St. Mary's, Georgia. After delivering supplies to that installation, he encountered the British brig Epervier off Cape Canaveral, Florida. Peacock emerged victorious from a brisk 45-minute exchange with that opponent, inflicting 10 times her own losses on the enemy. For his role in the victory, Warrington received the Thanks of Congress in the form of a Congressional Gold Medal.

Lewis Warrington

Lewis Warrington (3 November 1782 – 12 October 1851) was an officer in the United States Navy…

The Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) is a bird in the Aramidae family that is found in the Caribbean, Central America, and southern Florida.

Limpkin

The Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) is a bird in the Aramidae family that is found in the Caribbean, Central…

The Atlantic Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) is a migratory species of mackerel common to the Gulf of Mexico.

Atlantic Spanish Mackerel

The Atlantic Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus) is a migratory species of mackerel common to…

Eastern Black oak (Quercus velutina), or more commonly known as simply Black Oak is an oak in the red oak (Quercus sect. Lobatae) group of oaks. It is native to eastern North America from southern Ontario south to northern Florida and southern Maine west to northeastern Texas. It is a common tree in the Indiana Dunes and other sandy dunal ecosystems along the southern shores of Lake Michigan. It is most often found in dry well draining upland soils which can be clayey or sandy in nature in most of the rest of its range. In the northern part of its range, black oak is a relatively small tree, reaching a height of 20-25 m (65-80 ft) and a diameter of 90 cm (35 in), but it grows larger in the south and center of its range, where heights of up to 42 m (140 ft) are known. Black Oak is well known to readily hybridize with other members of the red oak (Quercus sect. Lobatae) group of oaks being one parent in at least a dozen different named hybrids. he inner bark of the black oak contains a yellow pigment called quercitron, which was sold commercially in Europe until the 1940s.

Eastern Black Oak Branch

Eastern Black oak (Quercus velutina), or more commonly known as simply Black Oak is an oak in the red…

Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida area.

Forts Pickens and McRae

Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola,…

The Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata) is a fish in the Grouper family native to New York, Maine, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Black Sea Bass

The Black Sea Bass (Centropristis striata) is a fish in the Grouper family native to New York, Maine,…

The Sea Pansy (Renilla reniformis) is a sea pen in the Renillidae family. Shown here with a single polypite, the sea pansy is common to Florida beaches.

Sea Pansy

The Sea Pansy (Renilla reniformis) is a sea pen in the Renillidae family. Shown here with a single polypite,…

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish conquistador. He accompanied Christopher Columbus on the latter's second voyage to the New World.

Juan Ponce de Leon

Juan Ponce de León (1474 – July 1521) was a Spanish conquistador. He accompanied Christopher Columbus…

The Great Seal of the State of Florida. The image shows a Seminole Native American sprinkling flowers. There is also a palm tree, a steamboat, and sunshine.

Seal of Florida

The Great Seal of the State of Florida. The image shows a Seminole Native American sprinkling flowers.…

The Castillo de San Marcos, previously known as Fort Marion, is a Spanish built fort located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida

Fort Marion, St. Augustine

The Castillo de San Marcos, previously known as Fort Marion, is a Spanish built fort located in the…

The Tuberous Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) is an orchid native to the eastern United States from as far southwest as Texas and Oklahoma and southeast to the Florida Everglades to as far northeast as Maine and as far northwest as Minnesota. It is listed as an endangered species by the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Maryland, and as exploitably vulnerable by New York. In Canada it is found in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. It also is found in Cuba and the Bahamas.

Tuberous Grass Pink

The Tuberous Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) is an orchid native to the eastern United States from…

The Tuberous Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) is an orchid native to the eastern United States from as far southwest as Texas and Oklahoma and southeast to the Florida Everglades to as far northeast as Maine and as far northwest as Minnesota. It is listed as an endangered species by the states of Illinois, Kentucky, and Maryland, and as exploitably vulnerable by New York. In Canada it is found in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec. It also is found in Cuba and the Bahamas.

Tuberous Grass Pink

The Tuberous Grass Pink (Calopogon tuberosus) is an orchid native to the eastern United States from…

"Barnacle-scale, a coccine scale-insect, Ceroplastes cirripediformis, which occurs upon citrus-trees in Florida and somewhat resembles a very small barnacle, whence the popular and the specific names." -Whitney, 1911

Barnacle Scale

"Barnacle-scale, a coccine scale-insect, Ceroplastes cirripediformis, which occurs upon citrus-trees…

The dorian (Durio zibethinus) is the fruit of the dorian tree in the Bombacaceae family. The fruit is cultivated in many places including the West Indies, Florida, and Cambodia.

Dorian

The dorian (Durio zibethinus) is the fruit of the dorian tree in the Bombacaceae family. The fruit is…

Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to the eastern United States, from southern Maine south to northern Florida, and west to Indiana and Louisiana.

Mountain-laurel

Kalmia latifolia, commonly called Mountain-laurel or Spoonwood, is a flowering plant in the family Ericaceae,…

Diagrammatic section of Florida along the line N.S. showing the relative position of the shore.

Florida Shore

Diagrammatic section of Florida along the line N.S. showing the relative position of the shore.

A characteristic gastropod of the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Florida.

Fulgar Carica

A characteristic gastropod of the Atlantic coast from Cape Cod to Florida.

A Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey native to Florida in the Accipitridae family also known as the Everglade Kite.

Snail Kite on Branch

A Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) is a bird of prey native to Florida in the Accipitridae family…

A scene from the book The Young Wrecker, showing the hero Fred Ransom as he "plunged into the arms of a man at the helm." -Bache, 1865

A Man and a Boat on a Ship

A scene from the book The Young Wrecker, showing the hero Fred Ransom as he "plunged into the arms of…

Chief Osceola of the Florida Seminole Indians stands proudly at his tribe's village.

Osceola, Chief of the Seminoles

Chief Osceola of the Florida Seminole Indians stands proudly at his tribe's village.

(1804-1838) Osceola was a war chief of the Seminole Indians in Florida, most recognized for his leadership in the Second Seminole War.

Osceola, Chief of the Seminoles

(1804-1838) Osceola was a war chief of the Seminole Indians in Florida, most recognized for his leadership…

The Florida Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus cerceris) is a subspecies of the Common Moorhen, a bird in the Rallidae family of rails.

Florida Gallinule

The Florida Gallinule (Gallinula chloropus cerceris) is a subspecies of the Common Moorhen, a bird in…

Outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant) made from tangram pieces. Tangrams, invented by the Chinese, are used to develop geometric thinking and spatial sense. 7 figures consisting of triangles, squares, and parallelograms are used to construct the given shapes.

Florida Birds Outline Tangram Card

Outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant) made from…

Solutions for outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant) made from tangram pieces. Tangrams, invented by the Chinese, are used to develop geometric thinking and spatial sense. 7 figures consisting of triangles, squares, and parallelograms are used to construct the given shapes.

Florida Birds Outline Solution Tangram Card

Solutions for outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant)…

Silhouette outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant) made from tangram pieces. Tangrams, invented by the Chinese, are used to develop geometric thinking and spatial sense. 7 figures consisting of triangles, squares, and parallelograms are used to construct the given shapes.

Florida Birds Silhouette Tangram Card

Silhouette outlines of Florida birds (seagull, mocking bird, egret, flamingo, turkey vulture, cormorant)…