What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: PASSIONFLOWER #fnp #wildflower #nwf (Passiflora incarnata); aka maypop; can be aggressive; larval host gulf fritilary butterfly; mammals; homeopathy uses http://www.herbs2000.com/homeopathy/passiflora.htm

Central Florida critter of the day: #insect #Arachnid #nwf #wildlife Black & Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) juveniles have a circular pattern zigzag, adults just the zigzag so this one is growing up; nonvenomous, beneficial, carnivorous

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: FOGFRUIT #fnp #wildflower #nwf (Phyla nodiflora); aka Frogfruit or matchsticks ground cover, wet locations ok; nectar; larval host buckeye butterfly, white peacock; http://is.gd/IJ4s8b

Central Florida critter of the day: #insect #beetle #nwf #wildlife Delta Flower Scarab (Trigonopeltastes delta) adults take nectar/pollen, unclear if they eat vegetative parts http://bugguide.net/node/view/2832 shown on Rattlesnake Master

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: WILD PETUNIA #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Ruellia caroliniensis); full sun, propagate by seed, cutting or division; larval host buckeye http://regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/plantdetail.asp?tx=Ruelcaro

Central Florida critter of the day: #insect #larvae #nwf #wildlife Queen Butterfly Caterpillar (Danaus gilippus) Larval host Milkweed (Asclepias spp.). Shown on A. perennis

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: RATTLESNAKEMASTER #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Eryngium yuccifolium); moist; would work in rain garden; important to bees http://www.hort.net/profile/api/eryyu/

Central Florida critter of the day: #reptile #toad #nwf #wildlife Newly hatched Tadpole (likely southern toad). ID some of FL common toads/frogs http://fwcg.myfwc.com/docs/Tadpole_Guide.pdf

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: SAVANNAH MILKWEED #tree #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Asclepias pedicellata); http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/plants/PlantPage.asp?TXCODE=Asclpedi

Central Florida critter of the day: #insect #bug #nwf #wildlife Large Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus) feed on milkweed seeds and store toxins http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/O/Oncopeltus_fasciatus/

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: SYCAMORE; #tree #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Platanus occidentalis); excellent shade, tolerates extensive flooding; minor food/cover for wildlife http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/tree/plaocc/all.html

Central Florida critter of the day: #snail #mollusk #nwf #wildlife Florida leatherleaf slug (Leidyula floridana) decomposer. eaten by ducks, moles, shrews and possibly others. http://www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com/feeling-sluggish.html

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA; #tree #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Magnolia grandiflora); showy, delightful heady scent; large tree for full sun to part shade. http://www.floridata.com/ref/m/magno_g.cfm

Central Florida critter of the day: #reptile #frog #nwf #wildlife Pinewoods Treefrog (Hyla femoralis) looking for free meal in the pollinator garden. http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/frogs/pinewoodstreefrog.shtml

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: WINGED LOOSESTRIFE; #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Lythrum alatum); moist to wet so would work well in rain garden. BEE MAGNET! http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/wng_loosestrife.htm

Central Florida critter of the day: CAUTION! RATED "R" #insect #beetle #nwf #wildlife Yellow-marked Buprestids likely Acmaeodera spp. shown on Rudbeckia hirta

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: PINK PURSLANE; #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Portulaca pilosa); ground cover, aggressive, some say edible http://is.gd/rONQZC some disagree http://bit.ly/KCNRLD

Central Florida critter of the day: #insect #bug #nwf #wildlife Lady Beetle (Harmonia sp.). Predatory in both larval and adult stages. Also called ladybirds and ladybugs http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in327

What Florida Native Plant is Blooming Today?: CUBAN JUTE #fnp #wildflower #nwf #garden (Sida spp. likely rhombifolia); nectar; larval host: 3 Checkered Skipper spp.; Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak; can be agressive. would work in rain garden; drought tolerant

Central Florida critter of the day: #bird #nwf #wildlife Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) second 2012 brood. Here's the story on the 1st brood: http://www.beautifulwildlifegarden.com/bluebird-success-in-2012.html