Mound House Happenings...

Diamondback Terrapin

2012-03-09T09:56:00.000-08:00

On Thursday March 1st we were walking into the Underground Exhibit and noticed this little guy, half hidden inside the crack between the door and the ground. We quickly picked him up and made a makeshift home for him using a box, some paper towels, shells and a little cup of water. We sent photos over to our Town Biologist, Keith Laakkonen, who called us right away to inform us that it is a Diamondback Terrapin and had probably just hatched from it's nest somewhere inside the nearby mangroves.

As you can see we let him go. These last images really give you a feel for how small he truly was.

February Visitor Numbers are in!

2012-03-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our hard working Volunteer Staff who signed up 826 individual guests during the month of February! PHEW! Great Job!

Also, our very own Parke Lewis single handedly gave a Treasures of the Sea tour to 77 beachwalkers! Way to Go, Parke!!

Lexington Middle School - March 2nd, 2012

2012-03-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

This Friday we had the Lexington Middle School Life-Skills class visit our site. Susan Grace conducted a great tour using the Timeline Activity, Atlatl Throwing, Cordage and of course the Underground Exhibit - Stories Beneath Our Feet. She also showed the students different types of fruits that are currently in bloom including the bananas and the pineapples.

White Butterflies UPDATE:

2012-02-24T08:58:00.001-08:00

The white butterflies have been identified as Barred Sulphur (Eutrema daira), by our very own Parke Lewis, Biologist and Environmental Coordinator.

These Butterflies are ALL OVER the Mound. Stop by today to catch a glimpse!

Hank or Henry?

2012-02-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Our resident Heron, most recently named "Hank", may actually be a "Henry"! Regan McBride snapped a photo of a very personable Heron in 2006 who looks strikingly similar to Hank, but named him Henry. Below are two photos of the bird in question - is it the same bird? You Decide! Stop by Mound House, tell us your answer, and receive a lollipop!

Hank Heron 2011

Henry Heron 2006

Burrowing Owl Festival February 25th, 2012

2012-02-24T07:46:00.000-08:00

Join us this Saturday for the 10th annual Burrowing Owl festival in Cape Coral! Please refer to the flyer below for more information :)

Come Visit me on Saturday February 25th, 2012!

President's Day

2012-02-17T07:21:00.002-08:00

Mound House will be closed on Monday, February 20th in observance of President's Day.

New Mound House Resident

2012-02-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Introducing our new Mound House resident, Hank Heron, affectionately named by Parke and Brent. Hank has been visiting the property on a regular basis and is quite interested in what fisherman are catchin. Hank is not shy, he freely roams the property looking for goodies. Stop by and say Hi to Hank today.

Mound House Staff Visit Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, FL

2012-01-28T10:01:00.000-08:00

Mound House staff Sarah Desquesnes, Brent Newman, Parke Lewis, and Public Works Director Cathie Lewis met last week with the director and staff of the Spanish Point Museum in Osprey, just south of Sarasota, for a tour of the grounds and an in depth discussion of the logistics involved in the long term preservation and management of the thirty acre environmental, archaeological and historic site. Spanish Point and the Mound House site share many unique similarities including historic homes situated on top of ancient Native American shell mounds, overlooking a rich mangrove estuary environment, botanical gardens and extensive areas of native vegetation. Not to mention the fact that that these are the only two locations in Florida to offer underground “walk-in” exhibits of shell mound archaeology.

Established in 1980, the Spanish Point Museum was originally the home of the Manasota people who constructed the shell mounds. Later, the site became home to the pioneer Webb family and finally the Palmer family both of whom who built historic homes on the site.

Our staff deeply appreciates the hospitality, insight, knowledge and experience that museum curator, Ryan Murphy and executive director Linda Mansperger provided. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Spanish Point as Mound House continues to develop.

For more information on the Spanish Point Museum check out their website at : www.historicspnishpoint.org

Osprey Watch 2012

2012-01-28T07:03:00.000-08:00

New Residents at Mound House Property

A pair of ospreys has taken up residence on the platform pole on the south side of our waterfront and are busy building a new nest. Rumor has it the pair are expecting chicks this spring and have taken up restoring the old nest to make room for the new additions. Watch for progress as the nest is enlarged and expanded, being built of dry sticks and limbs that the osprey collect from the tide line ,or even steal from other nests!

The osprey is a raptor, and this bird of prey feeds almost exclusively on fish. Our Mound House ospreys feed mostly on the trout, ladyfish, mullet and other smaller species that inhabit the shallows along Matanzas pass. They will hover above an unsuspecting fish lying near the surface, swooping down feet first and capturing dinner with their powerful talons. These remarkable birds are highly adapted to their fishing way of life. The talons of the osprey are unique in that they have reversible outer toes, allowing them to more firmly grip slippery fish from both sides. The osprey also has closable nostrils to keep out water during dives and backwards facing scales on its talons to act as barbs to help hold its prey.

Learn more about the osprey as we track the progress of our new neighbors in the following weeks.

Florida's Giant Orange Grasshopper

2012-01-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

Introducing the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper, also known as the Florida Giant Orange Grasshopper. This bright fellow was found on site at Mound House walking around the outside of our offices. The bright tellow and red coloring are a warning to any predators that it is toxic and will make them sick, and if you pick him up, he will make a loud hissing noise and spray a smelly foamy mixture in your direction.

The Eastern Lubber Grasshopper is reaches about 4 inches, are very slow moving and can't fly far. They reach their destination using short clumsy hops or slowly walking. They feed on broadleaf plants and can become a problem when in swarms. According to experts at the University of Florida, a good way to rid your yard of them is by stomping on them or drowning them in a bucket of soapy water.

- Information from http://www.wildflorida.com/articles/Floridas_Giant_Orange_Grasshoppers.php

Edison Festival of Light - January 14th, 2012

2012-01-15T09:32:00.000-08:00

Mound House participated in the annual Edison Fesitval of Light this year at Florida Gulf Coast University. The festival was in conjunction with local science fair at Alico Arena, a plethora of children of various ages visited our booth to learn about Mound House.

Newton Park Rentals

2012-01-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Newton Park Rental January 7th, 2011

Childrens Network of Southwest Florida

About a dozen teens from the Childrens Network of Southwest Florida cameout to Newton Park on Saturday for a picnic at the beach, plus art with David Hammel. For many this was their first time to Fort Myers Beach, including several babies and their mothers from Our Mother's Home.

Tours on January 7th, 2012

2012-01-07T11:25:00.000-08:00

Take a look at Parke giving one of his many fantastic tours today!

Banana Flower Dip

2012-01-07T11:14:00.000-08:00

Take a quick look at the yummy dip prepared by the Town's own Cathie Lewis. Cathie prepared this tastey dip from a recipe a friend gave her from her travels to Sri Lanka. The dip is spicey and flavorful, and best served a little warm on crackers. Just another way the plants found on Mound House grounds can be used in current day diets. For recipe inquiries, please contact MoundHouse@FortMyersBeachFL.gov.

Mound House Regular Tours Resume January 3rd

2012-01-02T14:39:00.000-08:00

Mound House will resume its regularly scheduled tours for the Plant's and People Trail as well as the Stories Beneath our Feet - underground exhibit on January 3rd, 2011. The wall is completed in the room and our fantastic volunteers will again be on site to offer tours. Schedule is as follows:

Tuesday 10:00am - 2:00pm

Wednesday 10:00am - 2:00pm

Saturday 10:00am - 2:00pm

For more information, please call (239) 765-0865.

Gang of Butterflies attacking the Mound!

2011-12-28T17:52:00.000-08:00

If you've walked around the property recently you may have noticed a gathering of blazingly beautiful butterflies on the pathway nearest to the fruit crop orchard behind the house. The gang of butterflies seem to be increasing in numbers these last few weeks on the path underneath the Gumbo Limbo tree at the U-turn pathway.

The butterflies wait for a visitor to walk right up to them, at first they look like fallen leaves on the ground. Then you get a little closer and one or two start to flutter and fly away. Take another step and all of a sudden you are surrounded by butterflies! It is truly a sight to behold!

Parke Lewis, our resident Biologist and Environmental Educator, accurately identified the butterflies as the "Mangrove Buckeye" Butterfly, it feels good knowing they have a name.

Additionally on site today, the Public Works Director of The Town of Fort Myers Beach was walking the site with Parke - we they found the butterfly gang a mystery and stopped to check it out. As they stood at the U-turn path and looked up, they noticed there was something mysterious with the Gumbo Limbo tree leaves overhead. Directly over the butterflies, the leaves had a white almost fuzzy and shiney substance on them and there were little chunks eaten out of the sides of said leaves. It turns out the Mangrove Buckeye Butterfly has found a home on the Mound House site.

FloridaStateParks.org states, the "Gumbo Limbo Tree provides a larval food source for a number of species. A large shade tree with red peeling bark, it can reach heights of 40 feet and is easily propagated by placing cuttings directly in the soil."

Image: Antshrike's Bird and Bug Blog

The Mural's Wall Progress

2011-12-28T17:31:00.000-08:00

So, Lucas Construction worked hard and did a great job, finishing faster than even imagined. The stucco on the wall in the exhibit is curing now, and should take about 2 weeks to fully dry, which is why we are still not holding any tours until January 3rd. The wall looks amazing, and once you see it, you will realize we are one step closer to finishing the room completely. (Pictures will soon be posted). The next step is getting our custom mural completed, printed and applied to our new wall. This is a great day.

New Mural Wall in Underground Exhibit

Mound House Holiday Schedule

2011-12-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

Mound House Grounds and Office will have regular hours on December 24^th and December 31^st; but will be completely closed to the public on December 25^th and January 1^st.

The underground exhibit, "Stories Beneath Our Feet" is temporarily closed until January 3rd. Construction on a new wall for our future 44' long custom mural has begun.

Due to this construction, no tours will be offered of the underground room.

Date

12.24 10am-2pm

12.25 GROUNDS CLOSED

12.26 CLOSED

12.31 10am-2pm

1.1 GROUNDS CLOSED

1.2 CLOSED

Mound House Underground Exhibit Progress

2011-12-20T11:21:00.000-08:00

Good news! Well, good and bad news. Good news - the Underground Exhibit at the Mound House site, "Stories Beneath Our Feet" is moving forward in the right direction. As of today, December 20th, work is beginning on constuction of the mural wall. This is one step closer to completion! Once the wall is up, it will provide the foundation for the custom 44' long Calusa Indian mural. The mural is, as we speak, being worked on and anticipated to go up sometime in February.

Now for the bad news - the Underground Exhibit will need to be closed during construction of this wall. So that means we will not be offering any tours of the exhibit until the New Year. During this time, however, the Mound House grounds will still be open as usual - sun up to sun down, seven days a week.

This is a great step in the right direction, and anyone who has been in the underground exhibit knows how great of a leap this really is! We are very excited for the future!

No tours will be offered of the Underground Exhibit until January.

Stories Beneath Our Feet Entrance

2011-12-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new blog for Mound House! We are very excited to be able to have this opportunity to speak to you and let you know what is going on around the site. We'll be updating the blog regularly with pictures, news stories, personal tid-bits and other fun tips, advice and interesting facts. So check back often as there will always be something new to see!