Orange-spotted Flower Moth

Orange-spotted Flower Moth (Syngamia florella)
This stunning moth is a true gem of the insect world. With its dark brown wings adorned with yellow patches and a striking red abdomen featuring two narrow bluish bands, it’s a sight to behold. That is if you look close enough. With a wingspan of about 15 mm they can easily be overlooked..
📍 Habitat: Found from South Carolina to Florida and from Arkansas to Texas, this moth also makes its home in the West Indies, Mexico, and even Argentina1.
🌼 Diet: The adult moths love to visit flowers, including dotted horsemint seen in this photo.
🗓️ Flight Season: While these butterflies migrate to northern areas during the warmer months, we can find them in Florida year-round.
Next time you’re out in a weedy or brushy area, keep an eye out for these small and beautiful moths.
Photo credit: Aymee Laurain
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Bonaparte’s Gull

Bonaparte’s Gull
This small gull is a Bonaparte’s Gull (scientific name: Chroicocephalus Philadelphia) in its nonbreeding colors with a black smudge behind its eye. Bonaparte’s Gulls breed in Canada and Alaska from late May to July, where they are the only gull species nesting in trees. In the north, nesting pairs can be found in spruce trees.
The gulls fly south for the winter, feeding on small insects and fish by flying close to the water and plucking them from the air or water. They live near water, mostly lakes and ponds, but they can also be found near the ocean.
Photo Credit and Author: Rowan Waldo
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