With arrival of summer rains in mid-May in south Florida, we also see the appearance of a diversity of mushrooms. Some are edible – some have nauseating smells and thus are unappealing -- others can be deadly if eaten. On this week’s Wild Things I’ll talk about a few mushrooms that pique our attention when found. Structure, color, mode of dispersal of their spores, and favored habitats vary greatly among species. This week’s subjects only give you a taste (no pun intended) of the great diversity of mushrooms.

The male Northern Cardinal is that bright red bird with the heavy red bill that often adorns Christmas cards and delights us at bird feeders stocked with sunflower seeds. Its mate is brown with tinges of red – helping to conceal her as she alone sits on the nest. Young Cardinals vary greatly in plumage ranging from dull tan to brown, with just a hint of red. When they leave the nest they have a mostly black bill that gradually changes to red over their first few months. The large bill of a Cardinal is among the best of nut-crackers – and if it gets a chance to bite a finger, it tries NOT to let go.

The Orchard Orbweaver is a common, colorful, tiny spider found throughout Florida and much of the eastern U.S., to northern South America and north into southern Canada. In addition to its multicolored appearance, this spider is unusual in that it usually builds a web that is horizontal – rather than one that is vertical. Its webs are also usually in a shaded area within a few feet of the ground and often in seasonally wet areas. Among its major foods are mosquitos and small flies. Among its predators are birds, lizards, small mammals, and wasps. Orchard Orbweavers can be found in backyards, parks, and natural areas throughout eastern North America and south into northern South America. Orchard Orbweavers are normally harmless to humans and very helpful in controlling mosquitos and other insect pests. Two species are recognized in North America – one from Florida and Latin America, and one from more northern U.S. States and southern Canada.

Blue Tilapia and Mayan Cichlids are both members of the Cichlid family of fishes native to North Africa, the Middle East, and tropical Latin America. Both of these fishes are aggressive game fishes, thus favored by fishermen. They are also beautifully colored – especially during their spring breeding season. Thus they are also favorites for use in aquaria. The Cichlid family originated millions of years ago when Africa and South America were once connected. As a result of their long history and repeated isolation of populations as water levels fluctuated, populations adapted to local conditions, giving rise to the now more than 1650 species of Cichlids. As a result of similarities and diversity among species, Cichlids are aggressive in defending nest sites and in taking advantage of whatever food is available. When introduced to Florida waters – which in general have fewer competing species, Cichlids often diminish or even eliminate the native species.

The American Kestrel is our smallest falcon and a bird that can easily be sexed: Males are smaller than females and have a blue-gray cap and wings; females are larger and have rust-colored wings. These are cavity-nesting birds that must depend on large natural cavities, the abandoned cavities of Pileated Woodpeckers, or on cavities provided by humans. In recent years there have been noticeable declines in American Kestrel numbers – probably a result of a combination of declining availability of large cavities due to cutting of old-growth trees and perhaps with pesticide use. Hunting of American Kestrels is often along our highways and Kestrels going after insects or other small animals hit by traffic are themselves sometimes killed. The Spring 2023 issue of Audubon magazine features an article on declines in American Kestrels accompanied by excellent photos.

Most of us remember caterpillars from our childhood – slow moving creatures, munching on a leaf or walking its seemingly multi-legged gait across a sidewalk or along a plant stem, occasionally raising its head up and showing us its big eyes. Only six of those “legs” are real legs – the others just help the caterpillar hold on. We also might remember its fuzzy cover or perhaps the long, pointed structure at the end of its body that we feared might be a stinger. It rarely is. Perhaps you also took the caterpillar home in a jar stuffed with the leaves it was eating to watch it transform into a butterfly or moth. Those were important days and lessons learned across the ages – perhaps your first encounter with Nature.

The Knight Anole is a newcomer to Florida – first found here in the 1950s near Miami, and now found almost anywhere in the state. It is a native of Cuba that has also been spread to other islands of the Caribbean and to California – in part as a result of stowaways hiding in plants and among crates being shipped taken from Cuba and Florida, and in part through the pet trade. The Knight Anole is a handsome lizard – and a very large one – sometimes reaching 17 inches from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. It is also an omnivore – eating almost anything, including other lizards, baby birds, mice, fruit, and more. It has been known from southwest Florida for several years and its numbers are growing. Watch for this green invader with white stripes on its face and side. Between April and August it can often be seen clinging head down on a tree trunk – waiting patiently for potential mates or the arrival of competitors. The rest of the year it is typically in the canopy of trees or palms feeding on whatever it can find among dense foliage.

The Little Blue Heron is among our smaller herons and is a generalist in its diet of fish, crayfish, snails, and other small creatures. It often hunts alone and almost always in shallow water with emergent vegetation. It also joins with other herons, egrets, ibises, and spoonbills when water levels are declining and aquatic life is being concentrated.

What’s wrong with Brazilian Pepper? Nothing – if it is growing where it is native in South America. As with so many exotics, the problems come when a species is introduced to an area where it is NOT native. It then may have the upper hand – no natural controls. The problem is that we – as a species – have a fascination with novelty – something new, something different, and we have a propensity to move species around – to flaunt or sometimes to financially benefit from the novelty of a species. So it was with Brazilian Pepper. During the Elizabethan era of the 1800s, elaborate Christmas holiday decorations came into vogue – and nearly eradicated our native American Holly. In search for an alternative, Brazilian Pepper was introduced to Florida and marketed under various trade names such as “Florida Holly”. The first mistake was introducing it. The second mistake was to make people think it was a holly, the third mistake was not eradicating it as soon as the first two mistakes were recognized. Now it’s too late. Brazilian Pepper is well entrenched in south Florida ecosystems. It has downsides that were not anticipated – highly competitive with native species, and positive sides that have often been ignored – a source of winter food and shelter for native wintering and resident birds and other wildlife.

The Downy Woodpecker is our smallest woodpecker – only slightly larger than a sparrow, but easily recognized by its mostly black-and-white plumage – a gray to white breast, lots of white spots on black wings, and a white line above the eye. A red bar on the back of the head identifies a male; lack of a red bar identifies a female’s head. Male and female Downy Woodpeckers each construct a roost cavity – usually in well-rotted wood of a dead tree stub, and often just below the fruiting body of a fungus or a broken limb through which a fungus has entered.