A cicada killer burrow at the Escambia County Extension Office. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
The other day, our Horticulture agent, Beth Bolles, called me over to point out something of interest. Along the sidewalk between our buildings was a sandy burrow that looked like a cross between a fire ant mound and a crawfish burrow. “People ask me about these all the time—you may want to write about them,” she said. Sure enough, just a couple days later I was tagged in a Facebook photo asking if I knew what this weird sandy mound was.
The brilliant yellow stripes of a cicada killer are visible as it crawls through the grass. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
What Beth pointed out was the burrow of a cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus) wasp, also called the great ground hornet. Cicada killers are large (among the largest in the country, at 1.5-2” long) ground-dwelling wasps that use cicadas for an important part of their life cycle. They can fly, but I have observed them crawling through low weeds and grass. They have black bodies and wings with brilliant yellow stripes on their abdomens, and adults feed on flower nectar.
Cicada killers prefer open, sunny, sandy areas to build their burrows. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
These wasps’ reproductive cycle is rather fascinating. After males and females emerge from the soil in the summer, they mate while in flight. Females then dig the burrows, using their front legs to scrape soil out of the ground and kick it out with their hind legs. Burrows may be up to 4 feet deep, with branches and larger cells. Future moms then seek out cicadas, which they sting and paralyze on the leg. The wasps drag cicadas on their backs and into their underground burrows. They place 1-4 cicadas in each cell, depending on insect size. Once this task is completed, the females lay eggs—one into each cicada body. The sex of their offspring can be determined by placement, with the more substantial cicadas implanted with future females, who will need the extra energy. Female cicada killers have been observed to share their burrows with as many as 3 other wasps.
While female wasps stay busy with reproduction and burrowing, the males primarily serve roles of protection and competition for mates. Male cicada killers are known to “invade personal space” of humans by hovering at eye level, and can seem aggressive. However, they are harmless—only the females have stingers!
The warm Florida climate makes it a biologically diverse place, with plants and animals from all over the world finding a foothold here. Some are benign, while others can become pests that harm the environment or get in the way of human activities. One such pest is the red imported fire ant, a visitor from South America. Introduced to North America somewhere in the 1930s or 1940s, these ants are native to a region of savannas and wetlands, where the rainy season brings flooding part of the year. Finding a similar climate along the Gulf coast after hitching a ride on ships, what these ants did NOT find were predators that could keep their populations in check. They have since spread throughout the southeast, and are predicted to make their way up the east coast as far as Maryland, west into Texas before it becomes too dry for them to live comfortably, and even along the Pacific coast of the United States.
A red imported fire ant.
Though they are called ‘red’, their coloration is often reddish-brown with a darker abdomen. Populations in different areas may vary in their particular shade of color. They range in size from 1/8 to ¼ inch in length. A characteristic identifier for this species of ant is their mounds. These are not just regular anthills, where workers digging tunnels belowground dump grains of soil in a pile. Fire ant mounds help the colony regulate temperatures and moisture levels. They are often constructed in open, sunny locations. Disturbing a mound will cause the ants within it to swarm, with hundreds of ants suddenly ready to sting anything around. Their sting usually leaves a white pustule on the skin, coupled with an intense burning or itching sensation. Being attacked by fire ants is one of the least fun things you can do in a garden or landscape.
A fire ant mound.
How do we get rid of fire ants? It is important to understand that fire ants don’t live alone. They are dependent on their colony, where workers forage for food, soldiers protect the nest, and the queen (or queens – fire ant nests have been known to have multiple queens) lays eggs. The queen remains sheltered inside the nest, and until she is gone, the nest can replace its workers. Therefore, any treatment must effectively remove the queen.
Home remedies are often ineffective. Pouring boiling water over ant mounds can damage the colony, but may not reach deep enough into the mound to kill the queen. Applying dry grits to a mound will not harm the ants. Other remedies, such as club soda, simply do not work, and while gasoline and other harsh chemicals might kill some ants, they are not guaranteed to kill the queen. They are likely to cause contamination of the groundwater, however.
What are effective are insecticides, formulated as baits or mound drenches or treatments. Baits are taken by the workers back into the nest, where they are fed to the queen. Mound treatments, when properly applied, soak into the mound and are able to penetrate deeply enough to eliminate the colony. Read the label of any product you choose carefully and follow the instructions.
For more information, see our EDIS fact sheet here:
Green anole on a fence post. Photo credit: Dr. Steve A. Johnson, UF
There’s plenty of animals you might call “cute”, but lizards usually aren’t among them. However, I’d take exception to that premise when discussing the green anole (Anolis carolinensis). With big blue eyes, brilliant green skin, and flirty males doing push-ups and flexing their dewlaps (the pink throat fan) at you, these little reptiles are more endearing than most.
A green anole–with a slightly forked tail–poses on a deck chair. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Native to Florida and the deep South, they are competent crawlers, prowlers, and predators. I see them frequently on my office building’s outer stucco walls, running along fences, or skittering up trees. They feed on beetles, termites, ants, worms, spiders, and more. Called the “American chameleon” by some, they possess excellent camouflage, changing their skin rapidly from green to dull brown depending on their backgrounds.
Over the last few years, I—and many biologists—have been concerned about the health of their population. As the invasive Cuban brown anole successfully gained a foothold in north Florida, I saw fewer green anoles and many more of the browns. It has seemed that the greens were losing ground. The invasive species can outcompete the native by eating the green anoles’ young and eggs.
Male brown anole on a tree. Photo credit: Dr. Steve A. Johnson, UF
A recent study by a UF PhD candidate found another explanation for why Floridians have seen more brown anoles than green. His study found that the two species have found a way to coexist—the green anoles are moving further up the canopy (an average of 17x higher!), while browns are staying closer to ground level. The green anoles thrive in more natural areas, whereas the brown anoles do well in lower level urban surroundings.
Interestingly, this summer I’ve noticed a resurgence in green anoles and have rarely seen brown ones. I am wondering if our snow days knocked the tropical brown anole populations back, enabling the more temperate greens to recover. Time will tell if the greens have regained their advantage or if it’s only temporary.
A pair of Canthon imitator beetles with a dung ball – the larger female pushes while the smaller male rides. This rolling behavior is shared with its close Florida relative, the common tumblebug (Canthon pilularius). Photo by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org.
Dung Beetles of the Florida Panhandle
Mounds of excavated sand mark the tunnel entrances of Peltotrupes profundus in a scrubby Florida landscape. Photo by Lyle Buss.
There aren’t many creatures that can stir up a mix of admiration – and possibly some mild disgust – like the dung beetle. But if you spend much time around pastures, the woods, or even in your own garden, you might be surprised to learn these literal poop-pushers are the unsung heroes in local ecosystems – especially when it comes to soil health.
Dung beetles, which are primarily members of the Scarabaeidae family, specialize in feeding on and burying animal feces. That might not sound glamorous, but they more than earn their keep in the ecosystem. These beetles break down waste, aerate the soil, recycle nutrients, and reduce parasite loads in pastures. By quickly burying dung, they limit fly breeding and prevent harmful bacteria from hanging around longer than necessary.
In our part of Florida, where livestock, wildlife, and backyard chickens are common, dung beetles can play a quiet but essential role in keeping both landscapes and gardens healthier. While you might not see them directly in your raised beds, the soil health benefits they bring to the wider environment ripple out in ways gardeners can appreciate.
A male rainbow scarab (Phanaeus vindex) with the distinctive horn used in battles over dung. This native beetle is one of Florida’s most colorful nutrient recyclers. Photo by Joseph LaForest, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
Not all dung beetles are the ball-rolling athletes we imagine. In fact, most species in Florida are what we call tunnelers – they bury dung directly underneath where it lands, creating little underground pockets of fertility. Others are dwellers, who live inside the pile and lay their eggs right there.
While most of our local dung beetles are underground specialists, we do have at least one native species that performs that famous backward march. If you’re out walking after a summer rain, you just might spot a shiny black beetle with spiny legs rolling a dung ball twice its size – just one of the many native species quietly doing their part beneath our feet.
Native Dung Beetles of North Florida
While most people wouldn’t recognize a dung beetle if it landed on their compost pile, a surprising number of native species are hard at work across the Panhandle – from open fields to pine flatwoods to the edges of suburban backyards.
A female fiery scarab (Phanaeus igneus) emerges from a sandy tunnel in the Florida Panhandle. Photo by Erik Lovestrand, UF/IFAS.
One of the flashiest is the rainbow scarab (Phanaeus vindex), a heavy-bodied tunneler with a brilliant metallic sheen – often green or blue with coppery highlights. Males sport a single, curved horn and are known to spar over fresh dung like tiny armored knights. They’re most active in the warmer months and are common in both wild and grazed areas.
Another native jewel is the fiery scarab (Phanaeus igneus), which also shines with a coppery or red metallic glow. A Florida subspecies, P. igneus floridanus, occurs across central and northern parts of the state. These beetles prefer sandy soils and natural areas like longleaf pine uplands or scrub habitats, quietly tunneling through dung from wildlife or livestock.
And then there’s the Florida deepdigger scarab (Peltotrupes profundus), an endemic species found only in Florida. This dark, robust beetle creates conspicuous sand mounds in scrubby or pine-covered landscapes. Below those mounds? Tunnels that can run several feet deep. These beetles aren’t exclusive dung feeders – they mix organic matter into the soil, creating long-lasting soil channels that help roots breathe and water move more freely.
Adult Peltotrupes profundus, a Florida-endemic beetle known for its deep tunnels in sandy soils. Photo by Lyle Buss.
Finally, we have one native species that actually does roll its dung: the aptly named common tumblebug (Canthon pilularius). This smaller black beetle sculpts dung into neat balls and rolls them away to bury. They’re usually seen in open areas and pastures during the warmer seasons. If you spot one, enjoy the show – they’re fast, efficient, and usually gone in minutes.
Non-Native Dung Beetles in Florida
Several non-native dung beetle species have also become established in Florida, introduced in the 1970s to help manage cattle manure in pastures. These include species like the gazelle dung beetle (Digitonthophagus gazella), bull-headed dung beetle (Onthophagus taurus), and the sandy dung beetle (Euoniticellus intermedius). All three are tunnelers that quickly bury fresh dung, reducing fly populations and improving soil fertility. They’re now widespread in pastures across North Florida, especially in the summer and fall. Another common non-native is the European dung beetle (Aphodius fimetarius), a small red-and-black species that acts as a dweller, living and breeding directly within the dung pile itself.
The common tumblebug (Canthon pilularius) is one of the few native dung beetles in Florida that rolls dung into balls. Photo by Kansas Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org.
While none of these introduced beetles are currently considered invasive, some researchers have raised concerns about how they might compete with native species for dung – especially in heavily grazed pastures. That said, most tend to stick close to livestock areas and haven’t been shown to disrupt natural ecosystems in a meaningful way.
Soil Helpers, Garden Allies
For gardeners and farmers alike, dung beetles are some of our most efficient natural tillers. Their tunneling mixes organic matter deeper into the soil profile, improving structure and water infiltration. That means fewer compaction issues and better moisture retention during our dry spells. In pastures, studies have shown that they can improve grass growth and reduce runoff – pretty remarkable for something that lives in poop.
If you’re already focused on fostering a sustainable landscape, be sure to give dung beetles a spot on your list of wildlife to appreciate and protect. In a world full of tidy lawns and picture-perfect beds, dung beetles remind us that beauty isn’t always what you see on the surface. Sometimes, the real work is happening just below it.
A tiny juvenile praying mantis stalks prey on a gloriosa lily. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
The gloriosa lilies have been in full glory, so to speak, in our garden at the Extension office the last few weeks. While photographing them, I noticed a tiny visitor hidden in plain sight among the flower’s frilly petals and stamen. A bright green juvenile praying mantis, no more than an inch long and the same shade of green as the plant, stood still directly in front of me.
A Larger Florida Mantis perches on blazing star flowers in Sarasota. Photo credit: chaseyb via iNaturalist
Praying mantids are often recognizable and well-known due to their interesting body shape and posture. They have other wild features, too, like gigantic folding “raptorial” (grasping/predatory) front legs and the ability to swivel their big-eyed, alien heads 180°. The large European mantid’s Latin name, Mantis religiosa, comes from the insect’s posture when hunting. It sits or stands with its forelegs folded up as if in prayer, before deploying them rapidly for a meal. All mantid species are ambush predators, capturing prey by sitting in wait, camouflaged in color and shape. They’ve even been observed swaying gently to appear like leaves in the breeze. But when they spring to attack, they are deadly accurate.
The charismatic praying mantis, in stealth attack position. Photo credit: University of Wisconsin Extension
The insects are known for their infamous (but rare in the wild) post-mating male beheading. Mantids are not alone in that cannibalistic behavior—many insects and spiders exhibit this conduct to boost the energy of females as they produce the next generation. Most mantid species are tropical, but of the 2400 known worldwide, only about 20 live in the United States (11 in Florida).
Mantids are considered natural pest control in a garden, although they are generalists and will prey on both beneficial and pest insects. With those spiky front legs raised in the air, they drop down and grasp prey ranging in size from aphids to—rarely—hummingbirds. Their effective predatory behavior doesn’t make them immune from becoming prey themselves, however. Mantids are a food source for many species, including bats, birds, spiders, and fish.
From spring to early summer every year, a certain grasshopper can be seen in the Florida panhandle: the eastern lubber, also known as the Georgia thumper. Sometimes emerging in huge numbers, this can be distressing to residents who suddenly find themselves amidst what might appear to be a plague of biblical proportions. Females lay eggs in the soil, and seem to prefer woodland areas with soil that is neither too wet or too dry. With each female laying one or more ‘pods’ of eggs, and each pod containing up to 80 eggs, this can lead to a lot of grasshoppers!
Nymphs are the young and immature form of the grasshopper, and appear different than the adults. Newly hatched lubbers are black with a yellow, orange, or red stripe running down their backs. They range from about ½ inch to 1 ¾ inch long while still in the nymphal stage, and tend to stay together in groups. Adults are seen most often starting in July, growing to a size of up to 3 ½ inches in length. Adults may remain black, but are often seen in lighter colors, from yellow to orange.
An adult eastern lubber grasshopper.
Eastern lubbers feed on a wide variety of plants. While adults prefer low, wet areas, they will sometimes damage crops or ornamental plants. They eat less than one might expect, given their size, but groups can still defoliate plants if left unchecked. Thankfully, they cannot fly, and therefore do not range over a wide area individually.
If these grasshoppers become a problem in landscapes or gardens, control methods are best undertaken early, while the insects are young. If populations are not great, they can be hand picked and removed. If treatment with insecticide is desired, there are several products available that kill lubbers. For individuals desiring a more ‘natural’ insecticide, products with the active ingredient spinosad are relatively safe to use, if slow acting. Spinosad should be applied in the early morning, late evening, or at night, to avoid affecting foraging pollinators such as bees.
Other insecticides will also work, including those with the active ingredients carbaryl, bifenthrin, cyhalothrin, permethrin, or esfenvalerate. Note that the active ingredient may not be the same as the brand name, and may only be listed in smaller print in the ‘ingredients’ portion of the product’s label. Avoid applying insecticides too close to water bodies, as they may harm fish.
