I suspect that anyone who loves nature loves springtime. Early spring is a time for renewal and rebirth, while later in the spring the theme seems to be amazing color. Once wildflowers begin to bloom butterflies, colorful moths, and insects start to re-emerge and out come the birds and other wildlife. Add to all of that warming temperature and gentle breezes and all in all, you have a marvelous time of the year!

One of our most colorful butterflies is the zebra swallowtail (Protographium marcellus). It’s a large swallowtail, so it’s pretty conspicuous. On one of my hikes in the Gothe State Forest, this one fluttered across the trail in front of me. I followed it a little ways up the trail and off into the woods about twenty feet until it landed on this clump of butterfly weed (Asciepias tuberosa). The bright colors of the flowers and the butterfly just seemed like a perfect representation of spring in central Florida.