In case it has escaped anyone’s attention, May 2025 is turning out to be a hot and humid month. This trend is not a surprise for anyone who has lived in panhandle Florida for at least a year, but there are many new residents to the region who are having their first experience with north Florida temperatures as summer approaches.
For many humans this is the time to appreciate the existence of air-conditioned interiors. With the exception of commutes to and from work or a beach visit, it is a great time to be in artificially cooled air.
The creatures and plants which populate the woods, swamps and pastures of panhandle Florida have few cares about the elevated thermometer readings. It is life as usual, and all are preparing in their own way for the inevitable dormant season with short days, reduced food, and lower temperatures in the months to come.
The warm season’s fruit, berries and nuts are in full production. Yaupons, sparkleberries, dogwoods, pines, persimmons, oaks, hickories and many more have a nutritional offering for any wild creature with space in their stomach or cheeks.
Native plums are maturing in the spring heat. Many of these fruits will be eaten before the summer is out, but some will dry on the tree and be available for consumption later in the year. A small percentage of the seeds will sprout next year.
The heat and rain provide an ideal growing environment for the plants which support the animals now and in the near future. Those blooming during the summer will be the life-sustaining nuts, dried fruit and seeds of winter.
Additionally, the plants and trees provide this cornucopia as a way to prepare their progeny for the next growing season. Most of their output is consumed by birds, mammals and insects, but a small percentage of seeds will survive to expand the species’ range and replace winter losses.
Bright orange persimmons, red dogwood and holly berries, and pale purple beautyberries use their distinctive colors and shapes to attract birds and animals. In exchange for a free meal, some of the seeds in the fruit are relocated and provided with a convenient fertilizer package.
The area’s insects are diligently expanding their numbers as this period of plenty unfolds. While most will not survive the first frost, a small percentage of their eggs will persist, and pupae will emerge in the spring of 2026.
Likely the most popular summer insects are butterflies. The commonly known species are relatively large and brightly colored, but many are small and unembellished without easily recognized features.
2025 is turning out to be a good summer for butterflies across north Florida. The ample rains provided excellent forage for the caterpillar phase of their life cycle, though there are many complaints about damage to shrubs and gardens.
Some highly visible butterflies, such as the monarchs and cloudless sulphurs, are taking advantage of the ample feedstock foliage, but they will migrate south to warmer latitudes in autumn. Many others will remain, laying their eggs in the most hospitable environment possible.
With this year’s plentiful foliage conditions, butterflies produce several generations during the warm season. Eggs laid late in the year will enter a dormant phase with the onset of cooler weather, but they emerge the following spring with the expectations of ample vegetation.
The only certainty about next summer’s weather, and the resulting plant growth, is that air conditioning will be essential for most of the human population.
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