Flatwoods Wilderness, Hillsborough County Florida

[Mistwalker]

We sure do. I have been caught in swarms where they seem to block out the light and leave you covered. The last time that it happened I was wearing shorts and ended up with about 400 bites to the lower legs in under 5 minutes.

This image is off the internet, but it will give you some idea of what to expect during a swarm.

n2s

Yeah, I've been caught by swarms in safety harbor a few times as a kid, it's a wonder I didn't get toxic shock from all the anticoagulant...

Great photos Mist. Thanks for taking the time to share them.

Thanks man, glad you liked them.

 

[brewcitymike]

Whats up with the tree that had what looked like little white noddles all over it? What is that white stuff? Forgive the ignorance Man how I would love to get a bunch of that palm fiber to put in my fire kits. It looks like it worked good. I have tons of cattail insides but that stuff don't really catch, it really just fizzles out the minute a spark hits it.
Once again Mist, you did not disappoint with your post. Nice pics and many of them.:thumbup: Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mistwalker]

Whats up with the tree that had what looked like little white noddles all over it? What is that white stuff? Forgive the ignorance Man how I would love to get a bunch of that palm fiber to put in my fire kits. It looks like it worked good. I have tons of cattail insides but that stuff don't really catch, it really just fizzles out the minute a spark hits it.
Once again Mist, you did not disappoint with your post. Nice pics and many of them.:thumbup: Thanks for sharing.

I think you are referring to the Spanish moss. It's an air plant that is all over the place down there. The palm fibers work great, just don't pack them tight in a tinder bundle, they need a bit of oxygen to really burn good.

Thanks man, glad you enjoyed the photos.

 

[PocketEdge]

Mistwalker, Thanks for the great photos! I have spent endless hours in that very park and the gov't land adjacent to it along the Hillsborough River. There are a lot of interesting fauna in the area! One of my favorites is the Gopher Tortoise which is endangered but many live in that area! 15 years ago about 2 mile from there along the Hillsborough River, I ran up on a large gator that was the size of a ten foot row boat. It was probably 15 feet over all with its tail! It was big enough to eat me for sure!

 

[Mistwalker]

Mistwalker, Thanks for the great photos! I have spent endless hours in that very park and the gov't land adjacent to it along the Hillsborough River. There are a lot of interesting fauna in the area! One of my favorites is the Gopher Tortoise which is endangered but many live in that area! 15 years ago about 2 mile from there along the Hillsborough River, I ran up on a large gator that was the size of a ten foot row boat. It was probably 15 feet over all with its tail! It was big enough to eat me for sure!

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the photos. I was wishing I had more time to explore and see more of the fauna and flora there. Next time I go back I will spend more time there for sure.

 

[scruffuk]

Thanks for sharig your trip out bro.

Those are wonderful pics, that spider is far out!

Hope you are doing okay?

 

[Mistwalker]

Thanks for sharig your trip out bro.

Those are wonderful pics, that spider is far out!

Hope you are doing okay?

Thanks Scruff, glad you enjoyed the photos. I don't recall ever seeing a spider colored like that before, but then there is no way I could remember them all. yeah I'm doing ok.

 

[trailbum]

Great pics.
I love Florida and can't wait to move back.

 

[Thomas Linton]

Beautiful pics. Love the hawk.

As to "parasitic plants," don't know about the No. 1 in line in that group, but the next three are bromeliads (like the pineapple) and are not parasites. That's just where they live - holding on to trees. No. 2 and 4 are "Spanish Moss," showing that popular names are pretty funny (like "Swedish Ivy" that is neither an ivy nor from Sweden). I think No. 3 of "parasites" is in same genus as "Spanish Moss."

Again, super pictures.

 

[hung-solo]

as usual nice pics Mist. interesting blend of hardwoods and palm like plants. yes those were boars rooting.

 

[kgd]

Nice pictures Mist. Love all that green (especially on St. Paddy's day). That multi-color spider was pretty freaky-cool...Must be a pimp spider

 

[Mistwalker]

Nice pictures Mist. Love all that green (especially on St. Paddy's day). That multi-color spider was pretty freaky-cool...Must be a pimp spider

Thanks Ken. Lol, yeah the spider was pretty cool, I could have spent days down there wondering around...I hadn't been in that kind of bush in over twenty years.