Bulls Island is located in the Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge near Charleston, South Carolina. The refuge was established in 1932. Stretching for 22 miles along the coast of South Carolina, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge is a rich natural resource. The ocean, the bays, the coast and the maritime forest , as well as the plants and animals that live in each, make this one of the most productive environments on earth. Each of these is dependent on the delicate balance of the marshlands.
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• Hedyotis procumbens • Member of coffee family • Also called Trailing Bluet or Innocence • Perennial herb with shallow roots • Low-growing loose tufts 10 - 15 cm tall • White flowers bloom from July...
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• Bombus pennsylvanicus • Face and head mostly black • Black behind the wings • Yellow abdominal segments • Wings smoky • Pollen basket on hind tibia • Adult drinks nectar and eats honey • Larva feeds...
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Sabal palmetto State tree of South Carolina and Florida Named for large leaf bud or "cabbage" at top of trunk Grows upward from a single terminal bud Mature height 30 - 50 feet Trunk up to 2 feet...
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Typha latifolia Common aquatic plant Named for foot long hot dog-shaped flower spike Upright smooth stiff stems grow to 10 feet Alternate, elongated strap-like leaves Thick underground branching...
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• Spartina alterniflora • Dominant vegetation in salt marsh • Salt-tolerant perennial • Tough 1-inch wide blades grow 1.5 inches long • Excretes excess salt through salt glands on leaves • Air tubes...
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Aralia spinosa Spiny shrub or small tree Twice or thrice-compound leaves Trunk and twigs stout Numerous coarse prickles White flowers One-seeded black fruits Habitat is coastal soils
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Rubus flagellaris • Member of Rose Family • Low growing Blackberry • Trailing woody stems with erect branches • Three-part, serrated leaves • Flower 2 cm wide(0.75 inches) • Flowers June to September...
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• Rubus flagellaris • Member of Rose Family • Low growing Blackberry • Trailing woody stems with erect branches • Three-part, serrated leaves • Flower 2 cm wide(0.75 inches) • Flowers June to...
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• Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus • Dark, heavy-bodied water snake • 50.8 - 189.2 cm (20 - 74.5 inches) long • Broad-based flat-topped head • Olive, brown or black above • No pattern or with dark...
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• Alypia octomaculata • Common black moth • Widely distributed species • Double wings • Two white or yellow spots on each wing • Wingspread about 1 inch • Larva feeds on grape leaves and Virginia...