Prickly Pear Cactus with Skippers

In the sandy soil of the Pine Rocklands, a habitat balanced on the edge of extinction, the stubby green pads of the prickly pear cactus finds a home. It sometimes sports large bright yellow flowers that are delectable to the tiny skipper butterflies and brown scarab beetles. The red fruit this plant produces makes a meal for animals here, including the gopher tortoise. 
It's range is not relegated solely to Pine Rocklands, and it can be found in dry sandy soil throughout the southern Florida peninsula. It's Pine Rockland habitat lies predominantly in the busy city of Miami, and so it is often difficult to protect what little of the 5% that remains from new development and sprawl. The largest tract outside of the Everglades National Park, The Richmond Pine Rocklands, lies squarely in Miami Dade county.