Beetles To The South Of Me...

I followed up on my recent beetle search with another search in the south tract, where very little work has ever been done.  I've had a couple in the past, the same as recently in the north tract.

This new location yielded as many as 23 at one time, which may have  scared away the moths I was looking for.

It was truly impressive.

Moths and Beetles

I was out tonight to check on the status of the beetles and to see if anything else was stirring between thunderstorms today.

The beetles, which weren't out a couple of weeks ago, are back, along with some other critters, such as Sand Cockroach, another endemic.

I also found  a common moth called a Small Mocis, which was not as exciting as the Scopula I had over the weekend.

Moth List Grows

While I was checking on the status of the scrub beetles the other night, I did find an interesting moth, which I believe is called a Six-spotted Aroga.
It's the first one I can recall seeing.
I had no luck with the beetles. I might have been a little off on my timing.
I have not seen or heard any Common Nighthawks yet, either.

Cogon Grass Work Continues

Yesterday afternoon I went to the south tract to check on the results of my earlier attack on a small patch of cogon grass next to the fire lane in the disturbed wind row left from the widening of the fire lane a few years ago.

I filled a bag and also dug up two of the Brazilian pepper bushes that had shot up nearby. I've got to go back this weekend and dig up the other two. I had cut them back and had earlier collected and bagged the branches containing berries to prevent them from spreading as much as possible.

It's one of the things that will require periodic monitoring.

I also removed a small amount of trash that I unearthed in the process of digging up the cogon grass.

Lupine Bloom Beginning; More Seedlings

I saw the first Scrub Lupine petals unfolding from the flower bud yesterday while I was checking for more seedlings.

I've been checking on the bloom status of the two mature plants here so I can invite some folks from Kissimmee who have never seen the plant.

Lupine Seedlings Keep Coming

I was pleasantly surprised today to find two more seedlings in one of the wild lupine areas some distance west of the 2008 planting area.

One of the yearlings will appears healthy. If it survives, it may bloom and put out more seeds in a year or two.

There are few mature plants in any of the areas at the moment, but I noticed today that at least one of them is forming buds, which means flowers should start appearing within a few weeks.

Gopher Tortoise May Have Moved In

I found a burrow that appears to be a young Gopher Tortoise, origin unknown.
There are many abandoned burrows here, but no resident population.
I have seen two tortoises here in the past 13 years. One dug a burrow, but was only here briefly. I also found one dead once near another burrow.
I have not seen the critter yet.