In case it has escaped anyone’s attention, the summer of 2022 turned out to be a hot and humid season. This trend is not a surprise for anyone who has lived in panhandle Florida for at least twelve months, but it can be overwhelming for the many new residents to the area who are having their first experience with a north Florida summer.
For many humans this was 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 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 a few months in the future.
Beautyberry blooms have produced ample nutrition for the present. While attractive now they will dry, but they will also remain a viable food option. The yield of berries will be essential for the months of dormancy soon to come.
Summer’s fruit, berries and nuts have produced a bounty for all wild creatures, large and small. 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.
The summer’s heat and rain provided an ideal growing environment for the plants which support the animals, now and in the months to come. Those blooms of the past season are the basis for 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 the greenery’s 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.
Wild crabapples have matured over the summer and the few which remain are drying. Sometimes overlooked in the days of plenty, the diligent search of hungry animals will assure its consumption.
Bright orange persimmons, red dogwood and holly berries, and blue 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 region’s insects are still diligently expanding their numbers during this period of plenty. While most will not survive the first frost, a percentage of their eggs persist and pupa will emerge in the spring of 2023.
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.
2022 was a good summer for the butterflies of panhandle Florida. The ample rains provided excellent forage for the caterpillar phase of their life cycle, though there are many complaints about damage to ornamental shrubs and vegetable gardens.
Some highly visible butterflies, such as the monarchs and cloudless sulphurs, are taking advantage of the ample feedstock from remaining blooms, while migrating south to warmer latitudes in autumn. Many others will remain in local areas laying their eggs in the most hospitable environment possible.
Under the plentiful foliage conditions of 2022, 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 will 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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