Pets/Wildlife

Lynn Steffen spotted this reptilian in a crosswalk in Connerton, a community in Land O’ Lakes. This alligator seems to know the importance of crossing at crosswalks, or perhaps he was just trying to avoid a speed bump?

Mabel (yellow lab) and Luna (black lab) are attached and bonded, not only to each other, but to each member in Kate Myers’ family, in their own way. After Kate had surgery, both dogs would rest their head on Kate’s leg to let her know they were offering comfort. Mabel and Luna live in Land O’ Lakes, but love to visit the dog park in Lutz.

Lynn Spradlin snapped this egret, with its beauty on full display, near the retention pond close to her home in Ramblewood Village senior park in Zephyrhills.

Lady ‘Addie’ Adeline is a 10-month-old Airedale Terrier that sits very attentively and watches cows in the pasture. On this particular day, a calf came to the fence to greet her and cow-watching turned to cow-kissing (licking). After a few kisses and licks, Addie motioned, as dogs do, to say, ‘let’s play,’ but the calf skittered off with the herd. Addie lives in Lutz with her mom, Rose Llauget, and watches for the cattle every day, waiting to see her new friends.

Betsy Crisp set up a wildlife camera on the water’s edge of Treasure Lake, in Land O’ Lakes, while she was on vacation. This limpkin stopped by several times and seemed to pose for the camera! Limpkins forage by walking in shallow water, searching for snails visually, and by probing in mud and floating vegetation.

Flip was adopted when he was 3 years old from the Humane Society in Tampa. He had a rough start in life, and it took him a while to learn how to be a dog. From the first night in his new home, Flip began stealing and relocating his owner’s flip-flops, hence his name. Flip loves toys, and in this photo he is supervising the repair of his well-loved ‘Mr. Bill.’ Flip lives in Land O’ Lakes with his mom, Elizabeth Vig.

Leslie Ann Baker recently noticed this large, sleepy white pelican roosting on a rock, on the shore at Zephyr Lake in Zephyrhills. Unlike most pelicans, Baker said this bird didn’t seem to mind her approaching it. One of the largest birds in North America, with a 9-foot wingspan, the white pelican is similar to the brown pelican in shape, but much larger. The white pelican also feeds cooperatively in shallow lakes and does not dive from the air for fish.

Tigger is Anne Griva’s daughter’s cat, but they both now live with her in Land O’ Lakes, so Anne is Tigger’s ‘step-mom.’ Tigger is spoiled, but lovable.

Debbie Pallman spotted this black swallowtail butterfly on a plant in the NorthPointe Shopping Center in Lutz. Favorite nectar plants of the black swallowtail include milkweed, clover, thistles and others. Its favorite host plants include dill, fennel, parsley, carrots and celery.