Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/132206
Sarasota News Leader May 24, 2013 the soft pinks — is like, "Wow!" It is also very helpful to have an expert point out to people that this bird is not a Flamingo! That is a fairly common error made around here, even among Florida residents. But this account is not really about the snakes, the birds or the fire ants (do watch out for them at RBS!); it is about butterfly identification. The group was fortunate to encounter some 12 species of butterflies, including a gorgeous newly emerged Giant Swallowtail and a rarely-seen Viceroy. But after the field trip ended, and as Diane and Rick were driving out of the parking lot, they noticed "a large all-white butterfly" flit past them, and they are now reporting seeing a few of that very same description A Roseate Spoonbill. File photo Page 78 on a daily basis around Siesta Key. To date, despite their efforts, they have not been able to get a photo of it as it keeps flitting about too quickly. Can I identify it? I think so, because just as we are seeing this sudden and large presence of Flycatchers, I recently am sighting a delicious number of Great Southern White (Ascia monuste) butterflies nectaring and fluttering about here. They are native to Florida and actually breed here. I really enjoy presenting to my readers something that they will probably never see close-up, and this butterfly gives me the opportunity to show you something so common around here, yet so beautiful and unexpectedly adorned.