The Slough!

Let’s talk about the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida. According to Friends of The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, it is a 3,500 acre conservation wetland area that filters water as it makes its way to Estero Bay. This is one of my favorite spots in Southwest Florida. It has a short 1.2 mile boardwalk that is always teeming with wildlife. If you go closer to dawn or dusk, you are more likely to see a wider variety of wildlife. My favorite moments have been seeing a Mud snake swimming, baby alligators with mom, and praying mantises on the boardwalk.

I have added photographs of some of the wildlife I saw during this trip to the slough. I saw a grey squirrel (actually many), an alligator, a gar (unknown species, comment if you know it!), and my favorite, an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper!

Let’s talk a bit more about the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. These are native to Florida and much of the southeastern United States. These grasshoppers typically have orange striping like you see in my image but, they can have variationa from yellow, orange-red, and black. Most people are horrified by the large size of these grasshoppers, but they are harmless. They are very slow and do not fly, so no need to fear them jumping on you! The main complaint people have against the lubber grasshoppers is that they consume agricultural crops (citrus) and landscape plants in your yard. They cause a fair amount of damage, so if you’re a gardener or farmer, watch out for these voracious grasshoppers!