Palmetto
Guides
Belocephalus sabalis
Palmetto Conehead
Belocephalus sabalis, commonly known as the palmetto conehead, is a species of katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It belongs to the conehead subfamily Conocephalinae, characterized by the distinctive forward-projecting cone on the head. The species is native to North America, with records primarily from Florida and the southeastern United States.
Euphyes arpa
Palmetto Skipper
Euphyes arpa, commonly known as the Palmetto Skipper, is a butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, with its range centered on Florida and extending into adjacent states. It is closely associated with saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) habitats, where larvae feed exclusively on fronds and adults nectar at flowers. Despite having an abundant food source, the species is declining for reasons that remain unclear, and it has been assessed as vulnerable by NatureServe.
Hemisphaerota cyanea
palmetto tortoise beetle, Florida tortoise beetle, iridescent blue chrysomelid beetle
Hemisphaerota cyanea is a small, metallic blue tortoise beetle in the leaf beetle family Chrysomelidae. Adults measure 4.6–5.6 mm and possess distinctive hemispherical bodies with dark blue or purple elytra and pronotum. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States where it feeds exclusively on palms, particularly saw palmetto. Both adults and larvae exhibit remarkable defensive adaptations: adults use specialized adhesive tarsi with approximately 10,000 bristles per foot to clamp onto leaves, while larvae construct elaborate fecal thatches that conceal and protect them from predators.