Tequesta Hammock Trail at Crandon Park

I visited the North end of Crandon Park where the Biscayne Nature Center is located. The Nature Center remains closed due to the pandemic, but the hiking and bike trails are open. Behind the Nature Center are several hiking trails, I went thru a combination of the Tequesta Hammock and the Bear Cut Trails, as neither trail is fully maintained right now and there were downed trees blocking the path requiring go 'rounds thru scrub.

Mosquitoes were in abundance, along with dragonflies. Other than brown anoles and ants, that was pretty much the extent of observed wildlife. I tried to grab shots of all unique plant observations without needlessly duplicating species. There were several nice examples of Beautyberry and Wild Coffee with fruit.

Two unusual observations during the trek were: very tiny translucent red ants in the shingle moss, and a cluster of saw palmetto berries being swarmed by carpenter ants. Looking closely at the activity of the carpenter ants (Florida Carpenter Ant - Camponotus floridanus) it was apparent they were managing a farm of aphids amidst the berries.

The area is an upland of the dunes along the eastern side of Key Biscayne, and protected by the beach dunes. Dominant species in the area are Cabbage Palms, Gumbo Limbo, and Ficus spp. Historically it was a tropical maritime hammock, but the area has been disturbed by surrounding development and recreational uses. The area I explored is part of a section that has ongoing restoration efforts including replanting of native species and removal of exotic species. The area is a cooperative project of Miami-Dade Public Schools, Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation, and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center.

Posted on September 15, 2020 05:11 PM by andrewmossberg