In today’s episode we’re talking about the mysterious and massive horse conch, Florida’s state shell. We will discuss the meaning behind its common and scientific name, what it looks like, where it’s found, research on population numbers, some fascinating behaviors and benefits of this species, and of course, what each of us can do to help support our state shell, the horse conch.

Learn More:

• VIDEO: Giant Horse Conch & Burglar Hermit Crabs (Blue Planet, BBC Earth) - https://youtu.be/P_hBp1sEwfs?si=Du1L_g7JXjSoN7n7

• Shell of the Week: The Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/shell-of-the-week-the-horse-conch/

• Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/

How You Can Help:

• Support your local National Marine Sanctuary - https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/

• Document sightings on iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org/

• Visit and support the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium, host of the largest horse conch in the world - https://shellmuseum.org/

• Participate in beach cleanups and local restoration projects, and support organizations working to protect Florida's waterways.

Sources:

• Age and growth of one of the world’s largest carnivorous gastropods, the Florida Horse Conch, Triplofusus giganteus (Kiener, 1840), a target of unregulated, intense harvest - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265095

• Sea Wonder: Horse Conch - https://marinesanctuary.org/blog/sea-wonder-horse-conch/

• Mighty, the Horse Conch - https://shellmuseum.org/blog/mighty-the-horse-conch/

In today’s episode we’re talking about Florida’s state butterfly, the zebra longwing: what it looks like, where it’s found, its life cycle, some fun and unique behaviors, and of course, what each of us can do to help support the zebra longwing butterfly.

Learn More:

• Zebra Longwing Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia) - https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/zebra_longwing.shtml

• Zebra Longwing - https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/100-years/object/zebra-longwing/

• Zebra longwing - https://www.flawildflowers.org/know-your-native-pollinators-zebra-longwing/

How You Can Help:

• Plant host and nectar/pollen plants (Ex. passionflower vine for eggs/larvae and firebush, tropical sage, Spanish needle and more for the adults) - https://www.flawildflowers.org/know-your-native-pollinators-zebra-longwing/

• Consider creating a butterfly watering station - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/design/gardening-with-wildlife/providing-water-to-wildlife/

• Consider purchasing a “State Wildflower” tag (license plate) and support valuable research, the planting and protection of hundred of acres of wildflower pollinator pathways and school wildflower gardens, and overall increased environmental awareness - https://www.flawildflowers.org/wildflower-tag/

Sources:

• Patterns of pollen collection and flower visitation by Heliconius butterflies in southeastern Mexico - https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-tropical-ecology/article/abs/patterns-of-pollen-collection-and-flower-visitation-by-heliconius-butterflies-in-southeastern-mexico/3E9698939DC97C3051261F38DBC078D8

• Dynamics of a subtropical population of the zebra longwing butterfly heliconius charithonia (nymphalidae) - https://bioone.org/journals/florida-entomologist/volume-88/issue-2/0015-4040_2005_088_0169_DOASPO_2.0.CO_2/DYNAMICS-OF-A-SUBTROPICAL-POPULATION-OF-THE-ZEBRA-LONGWING-BUTTERFLY/10.1653/0015-4040(2005)088%5b0169:DOASPO%5d2.0.CO;2.full

• State Butterfly: Zebra Longwing - https://dos.fl.gov/florida-facts/florida-state-symbols/state-butterfly/

Florida is known for having alligators, a fact that brings fear to many visitors and residents. But, alligators are an important species in many of our ecosystems. While we continue to develop the State, our chances of encountering an alligator increase, but there are many ways we can learn to coexist with them.

Celebrate Earth Month with us as we revisit a favorite topic from season 1 with a freshly re-edited Alligator episode.

Learn more:

• Living with Alligators: a Florida Reality: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/uw230
• Watch an 8ft+ alligator climb a 6ft fence: https://youtu.be/z7DMjQJD7vM (ABC Channel 6, WATE)
• Information on alligator hunting in Florida (FWC) - https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/alligator/harvest/hunt-guide/

How You Can Help:

• Never feed an alligator - If you suspect anyone of feeding alligators, intentionally or not, please consider reporting it to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). You will not get anyone in trouble! The 1st offense is a warning and education visit. Call the wildlife alert hotline: 888-404-FWCC (3922). Cell phone users in Florida can dial *FWC or #FWC, depending on the service provider.

Sources for this Episode:

• Ober, et al., Managing Conflicts with Wildlife: Living with Alligators. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw393
• Swiman, et al., Living with Alligators: A Florida Reality. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw230
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/alligator/snap/
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Alligator Management Program. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/alligator/

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy learning about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here!

If you're active on iNaturalist, consider joining our iNaturalist project, Naturally Florida's Listener Observations, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/naturally-florida-s-listener-observations