At this time of year, cypress swamps begin to dry out leaving the underbrush to be eaten by deer and wild hogs to feast on acorn grubs and roots. All kinds of botanicals — plants, ferns, moss, orchids, lichen and vines — flourish. There are maple trees that are colorful in the fall and oak trees that feed the animals. Cypress trees support the muddy ground with their massive roots. But in June, the rains return and cover the land with a few feet of water, turning the swamp into a natural watershed again.