The night before we visited Little Manatee River State Park in mid February we had a rare light frost. As we were walking through the park, it smelled like fall when the leaves start decomposing.

Some birds were hopping around the inner parking area. This is probably a thrush of some kind. Mike’s picture (and he processed the photos for this post).

Many plants of course did fine, or were sheltered from the worst of the cold. The trail, maintained by the Florida Trail Association, has boardwalks over the marshier sections.

Lots of butterflies made it through fine as well. The next four are Mike’s.

A rare sighting for us, a red-banded hairstreak. It rubs its hind wings together causing the fringe at the end of its wings to spring back and forth, drawing your eye away from the main part of the butterfly’s body.

We often see white butterflies along roadsides, but this was one of the first times we’ve gotten a picture of one. There were several along the river. Great Southern White.

While I was taking pictures of the White, Mike was watching a hairy camouflaged spider blending in with a branch.

This brilliant colored moth was perched on a flower off a steep bank so we couldn’t get a good perspective. My best guess is that it is a scarlet-bodied wasp moth.

Damselfly and flower by Mike.

On the north side of the loop, it is much dryer

There were still some butterflies on the scrubby flowers. American Lady.