PROFILES & FEATURES
BIRDS
Alligator Flag ~
Bald Cypress
Butterfly plants ~
Cabbage Palm ~
Cattail ~
Coastal Plain
Frog's Bit ~
Ghost Orchid ~
Pond Apple ~
Red Maple ~
Salvinia ~
Saw Palmetto ~
Slash Pine ~
Spanish Moss ~
Strangler Fig ~
Vine identification
Water Lettuce
Wax Myrtle ~
HERPS
.....Identification guide ~
Lovebugs ~
Milkweed Bugs & Cotton Stainer ~
New damselfly species ~
Southeastern Lubber Grasshopper ~
MISCELLANEOUS
Aestivation & dry-downs ~
Corkscrew places ~
Identification/Misidentification ~
Lightning ~
Mosquitofish
Prescribed burns
Scientific name pronunciation ~
IN CASE A VISITOR ASKS
Birds
Does using a regular flash for wildlife photography disturb small birds?
Common bird questions and answers ~
Can birds' feet get frosbite during winter freezes? ~ D
When do birds sleep? ~
What's the difference between a bird call and a bird son
When birds sing and call, what are they really saying? ~
What's the difference between an accipiter and a buteo? ~
Why do some birds have such dark feathers on their wings and tails? ~ April, 2011
What's the difference between a dove and a pigeon? ~ Ja
What is "anting" and why do birds do it? ~
Will Wood Storks nest this year, and will they be successful? ~
Where do Wood Storks go and what do they do when they don't nest here?
What birds nest in Corkscrew during the summer months (June-August)?
When will those birds breed, and how soon before we see chicks? ~
What are some common hatch and fledge times? ~
What are the differences between an Anhinga and a Cormorant? ~
Why do Anhingas spread their wings? ~
Do female Anhingas also get blue eyes in mating season? ~
How long before immature Little Blue Herons are blue? ~
When do juvenile White Ibis become all white? ~
Why do sapsuckers drill holes in rows? ~
How big is that bird, and what's its wingspan? ~ ~
Insects & Spiders
If caterpillars are insects, do they have three body parts and six legs? ~
Do butterflies have internal organs like hearts and brains? ~
What's a fast way to tell if it's a butterfly or a moth?
What do insects do when it rains and where do they go? ~
Are African (killer) honey bees in Corkscrew? Are they cause for alarm? ~
How do fishing spiders, water striders, and other insects walk on water? ~
Do all spiders bite? Are they poisonous?
Reptiles & Amphibians
Why do turtles stretch their legs out when they bask?
How can one determine the sex of an alligator?
What do alligators eat?
Are snakes territorial?
How do snakes climb trees?
What happens to snakes, gators and frogs during freezing temperatures?
What happens to alligators and turtles when the lakes dry up?
Are there really Florida Panthers in Corkscrew? How many are there?
What should people do if they see a bobcat or a bear on the boardwalk?
Why are raccoons active during the day? Are they dangerous?
What left that scat? ~
Plants
Common plant questions and answers ~
What are the oldest plants growing in Corkscrew today? ~
How old are the Slash Pine trees growing around the visitor center?
Do marshmallows have anything to do with Salt Marsh Mallows? ~
Why do some cypress grow needles when they should be dropping them?
What are cypress knees?
Why are some cypress knees orange on top while others are brown or gray?
What are the white growths on cypress trees? ~
What causes peeling or shredded bark on cypress tress? ~
Can cypress trees grow together? ~
What makes the slits in Alligator Flag leaves? ~
What are the red flowers that are growing out from the sides of trees? ~ May, 2009
Do scientists classify fungi as plants or animals? ~
What are the brightly colored splotches on the boardwalk and trees? ~ May, 2011
Is the green mat covering the water by the boardwalk algae? ~ February, 2011
What vine is blanketing the trees? ~
What are the growths on bay leaves? ~
What's the feathery looking plant growing in the wet prairie? ~
Water
When is there water here, and how high does it get? ~
Are the water levels high, average, or low for this time of year? ~
Where did the water go, and when will it come back? ~
Why does the water look dirty?
How do you read the first water gauge?
How do you read the Stevens Gauge? ~
Common critter questions and answers ~
How long can (fill in the blank) stay under water?
Why are there metal tubes on the Bunting House bird feeder?
What's that little house back there behind the gate? ~ November, 2009
How much of what can be seen from the observation platform belongs to
How does aquatic life reestablish itself after a prolonged dry period? ~
What are tussocks, where do they come from, and what do they do? ~ May, 2008