Prickly pear cactus

Prickly pear cactus at Lovers Key

Prickly pear cactus Opuntia littoralis 


The prickly pear cactus belongs to the Cactaceae family. 


The majority of the prickly pear cactus have either purple, yellow or red coloured flowers. They can be different sizes from under a foot to seven feet. The cactus have fleshy, flat pads which are small braches/stems which have the appearance of large leaves. These pads have many functions from storage of water, flow production and photosynthesis.  The genus Opuntia have  glochids (small, barbed spines). The glochids are red and yellow in colour and can separate from the pads easily however if the glochids get lodged into the skin, they can be hard to remove.

The fruit from the pears can be eaten and are in the supermarkets as 'tuna'. The pads are also edible, by eating them like a vegetable, these are known in the shops as 'Nopalito'. 

The prickly pears are found in the deserts around the South-west of America, there are varying species which have evolved to survive in different elevations. The majority of the cactus need to be in dry, rocky areas. 

The prickly pear cactus has medical properties as it contains pectin, it can lower the unhealthy cholesterol, it has also been studied that is can lower diabetics need for insulin. The cactus contains soluble fibres which keeps the blood sugar regulated.  

Desertusa.com, (2015). Prickly Pear Cactus - DesertUSA. [online] Available at: http://www.desertusa.com/cactus/prickly-pear-cactus.html [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Zebra longwing butterfly

Zebra longwing butterfly at Lovers Key

Zebra longwing butterfly Heliconius charithonia

Zebra longwing butterfly belongs to the Heliconiidae family. 

The butterfly has long, thin wings which are all black, with small yellow stips going across the wing with small red spots close to the body. They have a wingspan of 100mm.  The female and male are identical in appearance. It is neo-tropical meaning it ranges in the very south of America and Mexico.  

The butterfly prefers warm and damp areas. The  caterpillars eat passion flower leaves, but these leaves have a toxin which leaves a bad taste for the butterflies, this is also poisonous for the predators.

The zebra longwing mates as soon as it leaves the chrysalis. The females lays the eggs (five to fifteen) on the passion flower leaves. When the eggs hatch the caterpillars are black and yellow. The longwing make many generations per year. The females lay tiny, yellow eggs in small clusters on leaves. The butterflies feed on nectar and pollen. 

The butterfly makes a squeaking sound when it is bothered. When the sun goes down the butterflies come together in big groups and roost, night after night they come to the same tree. 

Entnemdept.ufl.edu, (2015). zebra longwing - Heliconius charitonia. [online] Available at: http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/bfly/zebra_longwing.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Nhptv.org, (2015). Zebra Longwing Butterfly - Heliconius charitonius - NatureWorks. [online] Available at: http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/zebralongwing.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Sea grape

https://pickmeyard.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/sea-grape-tree.jpg

 Sea grape Coccoloba uvifera

The sea grape belongs to the Polygonaceae family. 

The sea grape is a expansive shrub. It has a asymmetrical branches and a recognisable trunk, which can grow up to thirty feet. If the sea grape is planted away from the salty air, it can grow up to fifty feet tree. There is a red vein in the middle of the leathery, evergreen leaves going from top to bottom. When the leaves have matured they are a deep green, when the leaves are young they are hairless and are a copper colour with a kidney shaped. 
The bark of the sea grape peels but is smooth and has a marble coloured effect, (grey, white and brown). The bark contains a red sap which is used for medical purposes. 

They are  dioecious (female and males are on different trees).  Females trees have white/ivory flowers which turn into red grape like fruits and are pear shaped with a stone in the middle, they hang downward to appeal to animals like birds and children.  

The sea grape is commonly seen near the seaside and sand dunes for landscaping,the plant needs plenty of sunshine, sand and soil. The trunk is twisted and can grow up to two feet in diameter. 
The fruits can be used to make jelly and wine. in the West Indies they use the wood to make cabinets. 

Floridata.com, (2015). Floridata: Coccoloba uvifera. [online] Available at: http://www.floridata.com/ref/C/cocc_uvi.cfm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu, (2015). Plant ID Ornamentals Sea Grape - Florida Master Gardener Program - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. [online] Available at: http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/mastergardener/outreach/plant_id/ornamentals/sea_grape.shtml [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015]

Hort.ifas.ufl.edu, (2015). Sea Grape - Tree selection - Landscape plants - Edward F. Gilman - UF/IFAS. [online] Available at: http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/Pages/cocuvi/cocuvi.shtml [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Wildlifeofhawaii.com, (2015). Coccoloba uvifera - Sea Grape, Seagrape - Hawaiian Plants and Tropical Flowers. [online] Available at: http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/1561/coccoloba-uvifera-sea-grape/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

black vultures

Add captionhttp://ibc.lynxeds.com/photo/eurasian-black-vulture-aegypius-monachus/flying-vulture-0

 Black vultures Coragyps atratus

The black vulture belong to Cathartidae family.

The black vultures  are big raptors, they have black heads and holds its wings broad and rounded. During daylight the vultures fly in flocks with the turkey vultures and hawks. The vultures have strong wing beats followed by small glides, a bit like how a bat flies. They flap the wings more than soaring. The tail is in shape of a fan but it quite short. They are all black apart from the white patches on the tips of the wings, this can be seen from below.

The black vulture buries the eggs, usually two, on the ground but under cover, in a cave or tree trunk, there is no nest building. The eggs are incubated for forty days, once the chicks have hatched, the mother and father feed the chicks regurgitated food. Ten weeks after hatching, the chicks should be ready to fly.

Vultures are scavengers and opportunistic by eating dead cattle or road kills, they have been known to kill small farm animals, lambs and calves. 

Black vultures can be found in forests especially open areas of the forest, they nest in wooded areas.    

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Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Black Vulture. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black_Vulture/id [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Anon, (2015). [online] Available at: http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/raptors-and-vultures/vultures/ [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

mosquito fish

http://reefbuilders.com/files/2011/01/mosquitofish-fish-can-count_31042_600x450.jpg

 Mosquito Fish Gambusia holbrooki

The mosquito fish belong to the Poeciliidae family. 

The eastern mosquito fish grows up to 2 inches long, they are brown/olive colour on the topside with a yellow underside and silver on the sides. On the dorsal and caudal fins there are lines of black spots. Underneath the eye there is a black mark, which looks like a tear drop. 

The fish live in slowing moving water like marshes, ponds and lakes, the ideal substrate would be muddy with a wide variety of plants. 

The breeding season for the mosquito fish is between April to August, the females are bear live young which is unusual. One female can give birth to two hundred young per year. After mating, the fry arrive four weeks later.  

The fish will eat anything from worms, crustaceans, insects, algae, tadpoles, pupae and mosquito larvae. They also eat the eggs of other fish for example largemouth bass, they also have cannibalism tendencies. They are very aggressive by attacking the fins of bigger fish.  

The mosquito fish has a parasite with the name 'The big red worm' which is a nematode. The nematode used the mosquito fish for its life cycle, the nematode doesnt cause any harm to the fish. 

The animals which predate on mosquito fish are snakes, turtles, birds and bigger fish. 

Mosquito fish got their name by eating the mosquito larvae, they were used to help control the mosquito populations. They were added to streams, marshes, lakes, and ponds. 

Fcps.edu, (2015). eastern mosquitofish. [online] Available at: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/eastern_mosquitofish.htm [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

brown pelicans

http://nathistoc.bio.uci.edu/birds/pelecaniformes/Pelecanus%20occidentalis/

Brown pelicans Pelecanus occidentalis

The brown pelican belongs to the Pelecanidae family. 


The brown pelicans are big and bulky sea-birds, they have a big bill,with a elasticated neck which holds large amounts of fish, large dark body with a sinuous (thin) neck. The birds are positioned perfectly whilst flying and gliding, with broad and long wings. Their wingbeats are very powerful and slow.The pelicans tend to stand around the docks and the shoreline looking for fish.  

 They tend to fly along the coasts and copy the highs and lows of the wave in search for fish. When a fish has been found they dive into the water, the impact manages to shock the fish, so it is easy for the pelicans to scoop up the stunned fish and the fish goes into the pouch.

The adult pelicans have brown/grey coloured body with white neck and yellow heads. When it is breeding time the neck plumage turns a dark red/brown colour, the juveniles are brown/grey including the neck. 

Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Brown Pelican. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/brown_pelican/id [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Common grackle

http://billhubick.com/photos/birds/common_grackle.phpG

 Grackle Quiscalus quiscula

The grackle belongs to the Icteridae family. 

The common grackles similar to blackbirds, but much larger in build and tails. The male holds the tail in a keel shape where the females does not. Their heads are smooth with a long, black bill. The wings appear to be short. The females are smaller than the males. They average 32cm in length. 

Their colouring is shiny purple which seems to glisten in the sunlight. Their heads are blue/purple and the bodies are brown/bronze. Their eyes stand out due to the golden colour, this applies to males. The females are a much duller colour. There is a slight difference between the sexes the males are more shiny than the females. They have long and strong legs which helps them forage for food by pecking instead of scratching. Their flying technique is short and rigid movements. 

 The way to tell the difference between adults and juveniles is the difference in the eye colour and colour of the body, the young birds have dark brown body and eyes.

The birds congregate in great numbers, either flying or foraging around farm land. They are common in the urban and rural parts, sitting on telephone poles, gardens and fields. 

The vocalisation of the common grackles are very loud with a deep tone, their songs are high pitched. 

Allaboutbirds.org, (2015). Common Grackle. [online] Available at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Grackle/id [Accessed 6 Apr. 2015].


Society, N. (2015). Common Grackles, Common Grackle Pictures, Common Grackle Facts - National Geographic. [online] National Geographic. Available at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birding/common-grackle/ [Accessed 6 Apr. 2015].