Though this is titled late winter, it did not feel like winter on this walk. The air temperature was 75°F. There was a blanket of fog over the beach, and it felt slightly humid and sticky, but with a cooler feel than we have in summer. It is true that Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this year – signaling an early spring, and the weather today supported this, but spring does not officially begin until the equinox on March 21. So, this is a late winter walk.
This walk was near Big Sabine on Pensacola Beach. As I crossed the road at Park East and headed into the dunes there was a breeze from the south creating surf that could be heard across the island. The fog made things damp and chilled. And there was no sign of wildlife anywhere. The numerous songbirds I had encountered during early and mid-winter were gone. There were flowers in bloom but no insects pollinating them. Literally no wildlife was to be seen.
A foggy day on Pensacola Beach.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
So, I turned my focus to the environment, noticing plants and the stages they were in. As you move from the primary dunes of the Gulf side into the more shrub covered secondary dunes, you cross through low areas in the dune field called swales. Here water collects during rain events forming ephemeral ponds and the plants associated with this habitat are more wetland than upland. In the boggy portions of the swale, I found sundews large and in a brilliant red color. These carnivorous plants produce tiny droplets of sugar water on threads at the tips of their leaves that attract the pollinators of the beach. Though sweet and delicious, they are also sticky and trap unaware insects which become a meal for them. Along with the sundew were numerous strands of ground pine, another carnivorous plant of the swale.
Swales are low areas of the dune field where water stands for periods of time and the more wetland plants can exist.
Photo: Rick O’ConnorThe carnivorous sundew inhabits more wetland locations.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
Beyond the swale, the secondary dunes were a blanket of lavender. The false rosemary, also called beach heather (Conradina), was in full bloom everywhere. As I walked through the dunes of flowers I came across the signs of wildlife. Armadillo dens were quite common. There were tracks of animals, including the raccoon, and scat was found. The scat contained seeds and, unlike the long-tapered shape of most carnivore scat, was blunt and rectangular shaped – suggesting a herbivore or omnivore. I did encounter a couple of ephemeral ponds with very little water, but there were no animals, or animal sign, to be found there.
The false rosemary was in bloom and the dunes were full of this lavender color.
Photo: Rick O’ConnorArmadillo burrows like this one can be found all over our barrier islands.
Photo: Rick O’ConnorThe blunt ended and rectangular shape of this scat suggests it was from a herbivore or omnivore. It was full of seeds.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
As you move from the secondary dunes into the maritime forest you pick up a section of the Florida Trail. This 1,500-mile trail begins at Ft. Pickens on the western end of Santa Rosa Island and ends near the Everglades. It was obvious that many of the animals who live in these dunes use this trail as well, there were numerous tracks covering it. Over the ridge into the maritime forest, you encounter marshes. The plants you find growing there help indicate whether the marsh is fresh or salt water. Pausing here to see if something stirred or moved, I saw and heard nothing and continued on.
The orange blaze indicates this is part of the Florida Trail.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
The maritime forest was full of healthy pine and oak trees, creating a completely different habitat for the wildlife out here. You get the feeling when you enter the forest that this is where the creatures prefer to be. Raccoons, skunks, coyote, snakes, birds, lizards, exist here and I was hoping to find something. And then it happened. Glancing up into one of the pine trees I saw a great horned owl – bingo! These are amazing birds and there have been a few reports of nesting great horned owls around the area. I did not see the nest but was happy to see the owl.
The maritime forests of our barrier islands is a completely different environment than the open dune fields.
Photo: Rick O’ConnorUsing the nests of other raptors, great horned owls raise their young this time of year. This one is in the “extended” position suggesting it is alarmed.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
I eventually reached the shore of Santa Rosa Sound and walked along for half a mile or so. I did see a great blue heron in the marsh, and some wharf crabs under a plank of wood – but there was nothing visible in the clear water of the Sound. There was evidence of armadillos digging. One section of the beach they had basically destroyed digging for grubs and other invertebrates to eat.
All in all, it was a quiet day. I am guessing that the foggy conditions moved the animals into their hiding places waiting for the sun to come out. Our next walk will be in early spring, and we are hoping to see more wildlife.
You should get out and take a hike on our beaches, there are plenty of cool things to see and it’s great for your mind.
It is March and spring is in the air. Since we were kids, we all knew that spring was the time of flowers, nests, and new birth. And now it is here.
Our first experience with the season was the pollen. Many plants mass broadcast pollen across the landscape. Pollen are the male gametes. The plants will use the high winds during the early part of season to spread the pollen as far as they can seeking the female eggs. It is true that 80-90% of these pollen grains do not find female eggs but rather they land on leaves, sand, fences, cars, and us. It seems like a huge waste, but fertilization does happen, and the next generation of these plants are born.
Pollen grains are the male gametes in the plant world.
Photo: University of Florida.
Other plants are more efficient at getting their pollen to the eggs. They produce flowers. These flowers house both the male pollen grains and the female eggs. To increase cross pollination the flowers produce a sugar substance called nectar that attracts pollinators. The most famous of these are the bees, but there are many other pollinators in the environment. You might be surprised to learn that the seagrasses growing in Santa Rosa Sound do the same. The flowers of these submerged grasses are very small, but they are there. Many flowering plants have not produced their blooms yet, but the wildflower season will begin soon.
Beach Sunflower
Photo: Evan Anderson
Animals are similar. Many, like corals and scallops, mass spawn each season. Like pollen they broadcast their male and female gametes into the water in hopes that fertilization will occur. Like some plants, this mass broadcast often misses the mark but to increase the chance of fertilization something the environment triggers all members of the population to release at the same time. Often this is the occurrence of the full moon. Many times, it may be the female who is triggered by the environment and the males are triggered by the presence of the released female gametes.
Mass spawning coral.
Photo: NOAA.
Like some plants, many animals use a more efficient method of getting the gametes together. The males will seek out the females and provide them with sperm (the male gamete). Some animals, like some mollusk and crabs, the males provide their gametes in a sac which the female will carry until she is ready to fertilize her eggs. Others, like horseshoe crabs, will congregate in areas where the eggs are placed in the environment and the males fertilize them. Others, like many vertebrates, will congregate and fertilize the eggs internally.
Horseshoe crabs breeding on the beach.
Photo: Florida Sea Grant
In many of these examples there are long migrations to reach the congregation sites. Horseshoe crabs, shrimp, blue crabs, sturgeon, sea turtles, and many birds are examples of such creatures. There are several methods of navigating during these migrations. Some use the chemical cues, others will use the earth’s magnetic field, and some actually use the sun and stars as we did in our early history. Many of these annual migrations bring the creatures back to the same locations year after year. Many return to find their nesting environment altered by humans. Some who find this have learned to adapt and they nest on our houses or artificial nests we have provided for them. Others do not adapt so well, and their populations suffer because of it.
Tracks left by a nesting Green Sea Turtle. Courtesy of Gulf Islands National Seashore.
In my yard we have already experienced the pollen season, I am sure more is to come. The wildflowers in our yard have not bloomed yet but they are coming soon. The Extension Office promotes a program we call “NO MOW MARCH”. This program encourages homeowners not to mow their lawns during the month of March to allow the flowers in their yards to bloom. We see wildflowers growing along highways now and the pollinators are beginning to search for them. I have also noticed squirrels and birds search for nesting materials; the nest building season is here. Horseshoe crabs have already been spotted in Santa Rosa Sound, the shorebirds have arrived on the island, and the sea turtles are not far behind.
With our articles this week we hoped to make you more aware of what an invasive species is, why they need to be managed, and some of the threats that exist in the Florida panhandle. We highlighted several species but there are many more. Some, like Chinese Tallow and Japanese Climbing Fern, are well established and will never be eradicated. Others, like giant salvinia and the Cuban treefrog, have been detected early enough that there MAY be a chance. As with all of these species – we only know what we know. It is likely that all locations of these species have not been reported.
This is where you can help.
Volunteers from the University of West Florida are removing beach vitex from Pensacola Beach.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
The first thing you can do is become familiar with the invasive species in your area.
The Six Rivers Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) includes Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Homes, and Washington counties in the Florida panhandle. It also includes Baldwin, Escambia, and Covington counties in Alabama. On their website you will find a tab on the tool bar labeled EDRR. Here you can see a list of EDRR species found for this CISMA. We also have a list of what we call the “Dirty Dozen”. These are the top 12 established invasive species in this management area. The Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance CISMA includes Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla counties. You can find the same information for that area at theirwebsite.
Second, report any invasive species to the EDDMapS database.
This is a national database used by resource managers to assess the status of invasive species in their area and develop management plans to address. We need your help reporting. You can do so on that website or download the app I’veGotOne from the website or your favorite app store. This is a free app that will allow you to photograph and report invasive species from the field. The data from this app populates the EDDMapS database.
Third, help manage these species.
You can do this on your property or participate in a community event that is removing invasive species in your area. If you have questions on the best methods for managing your property, or where a local event is occurring, contact your county extension office or your local CISMA.
Fourth, help us educate more in the panhandle about this issue. The effort to manage invasive species is similar to managing litter and debris. The more groups that are engaged, the larger our impact will be.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT GIANT SALVINIA HAS BEEN FOUND IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE?
Most likely not.
The number of reports in the entire of Florida are very few. So, unless you live near one of the infested areas you are most likely not aware of this invasive plant.
This is an EDRR species with reason for concern.
The first record of this plant in the Pensacola area was in 2018. I was called to a local residence to discuss a possible living shoreline when we observed giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) floating on the west arm of Bayou Chico. Further investigation found the plant inhabiting the north arm of Bayou Chico as well as the Jackson Lake area. Though not reported on EDDMapS, we now know the plant has moved into the retention pond at nearby Lexington Terrace. There are currently nine records of this plant in that area, but we know that the plant covers much of that waterbody.
Active growing Giant Salvinia was observed growing out of the pond water on to moist soils and emerging cypress and tupelo tree trunks. Photo by L. Scott Jackson
At that time, I checked EDDMapS for other records in Florida. There was a report from Bay and one from Gadsden Counties. I did note that there were large infestations in Louisiana and Texas. There were also posts and videos from Texas explaining the bad situation they had and how residents there could help. The concern was so high from those states that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission formed a small team, based out of Bay County, to battle this plant and reduce its chance of spreading here. A true EDRR effort. That team is very present in Escambia County with constant survey and treatment projects ongoing.
A couple of years ago I was heading out west to camp. Our first stop was at Lake Bistineau near Shreveport LA. After setting up camp we walked down to the lake and witnessed a lake completely covered with small floating plants. No water could be seen. I did see a floating screen holding the floating plant outside of the swimming area. We walked onto a dock set up for fishing but there was no way you could fish there. The plant was so thick it would be impossible to get your bait below the surface. Then it hit me… this was giant salvinia – the plant FWC and local counties were working on controlling. I could see firsthand what would happen if we did nothing. From the dock I walked over to the swimming area and found a sign informing everyone about the potential threat of this plant and to be very careful NOT to take it with you to another area of the lake, or another body of water. After returning home, I worked with our county to educate the public about this plant, how to identify, report, and manage it.
Giant salvinia overgrowth in a backwater section of Bayou Chico in Escambia County. Photo credit: Escambia County Natural Resource Management
Giant salvinia is originally from Brazil and Argentina. It resembles our native duckweed but the leaves are larger – 0.5-1.0 inches long. It was intentionally brought here as an aquatic ornamental plant. It prefers freshwater with little or no movement and high in nutrients. We already mentioned how it can impede fishing and swimming – but it also blocks sunlight needed for submerged grasses and, during decomposition, can lower the dissolved oxygen within the water to levels lethal to fish and invertebrates.
The nine records in Pensacola, one in Panama City, and one in near Quincy have now been joined by 12 other records in Florida. Nine are in Jacksonville, two near Naples, and one near Lakeland. It has also been reported in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and the California/Arizona state line.
This is not a plant we want to spread across our state, EDRR is very important here.
What can you do to help?
Report any possible sighting to your local county extension office. If you are not sure if it is the plant – report anyway, someone will come out to verify the identification.
If it is small patches, remove from the water using a crab net, or swimming pool skimmer, place the plant out in the yard in direct sunlight to dry and kill it. It can then be double bagged and thrown in the trash.
If there are large areas covered with the plant, again, contact your county extension office who will connect with the FWC team to begin treatments.
As always, if you have any questions about this, or any other invasive species, contact your county extension office.
WERE YOU AWARE THAT THE INVASIVE CUBAN TREEFROG HAS MADE IT TO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE?
Maybe…
Some of you have been following this story in this newsletter, some of you may have attended our workshop in Panama City in September of 2023 (where we caught three of them), and some of you may have found the frog on your property. But some of you may be unaware this common invasive animal from central and south Florida has been found here. Well… it has.
The Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is native to Cuban, and other Caribbean Islands, and arrived in Florida in the early part of the 20th century – most likely as a hitchhiker on a container or cargo boat. From there they have dispersed across the Florida peninsula where they have been established for several decades now.
Cuban Treefrog.
Photo by: Dr. Steve Johnson
There are several issues with this non-native frog. For one, there are environmental impacts. They are large treefrogs and prey on many of our native species. There is evidence of the decline of native frogs due to their presence – and this includes predation of Cuban treefrog tadpoles on native frog tadpoles. Their skin produces a mild toxin that has not stopped native frog predators from consuming them, but appears they are less nutritious and may be avoided. There is also evidence they may have introduced new diseases and parasites that are impacting native amphibians.
Two, there are negative impacts on humans – our quality of life. One issue is sheer number. Our homes provide many places for them to hide, and food to eat. As they out compete, or consume, the native frogs, they quickly increase in numbers to the point where they are a nuisance. Lots of feeding frogs produce a lot of frog feces, which can leave an unsightly mess all over the house. Unlike many of our native frogs, they have no problem entering our homes. The high numbers gathered around the porch light near the front door – an open door is easy access for them. They have also accessed homes via the vent pipe for the bathroom. Many have opened the lid of their toilet to find a large treefrog sitting, or swimming, there. Large numbers of frogs also mean large numbers of singing males, and they prefer to call just before dawn – annoying many homeowners. Add to this the toxin it produces in its skin. Though not lethal it is very irritating to the eyes and nose and can cause seizures in pets who may grab one. They have been known to hide in electric panels on the outside of homes and cause short circuits to electrical systems.
The first I heard of a Cuban treefrog in the Florida panhandle was a colony near Tyndall AFB in Bay County. It was later verified that they were breeding. There had been other one-off reports of them, but this indicated that they could tolerate our colder winters – though our winters have been mild in recent years. There were further reports from Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, and Escambia County. EDDMapS now lists at least one record in every panhandle county except Holmes, Washington, and Liberty. It is believed the common method of introduction is hitchhiking on trucks delivering plants, or other products, coming from south Florida. It is very likely that the frogs are in those three counties and have not been reported.
Range of Cuban treefrog
HOW CAN I TELL A CUBAN TREEFROG FROM OUR NATIVE FROGS?
First, it is a treefrog. This means that it has enlarged toe pads for climbing trees and sticking to the sides of buildings. Treefrogs tend to feed at night and are often seen on houses near exterior lights where insects gather. During the day they will hunker down in shrubs and trees. If you have them, you will most likely see them on the side of your home at night.
Cuban Treefrog
Photo: UF IFAS
Second, they are much larger than our native treefrogs. Most of our native treefrogs do not grow longer than three inches, Cuban treefrogs can reach lengths up to six inches. So, a large treefrog is most likely one.
Third, they can appear in a variety of colors. Green, gray, brown, and even white individuals can be found. But they have warty skin. Many native treefrogs have smooth skin. Some have granular skin that may appear warty – but Cuban treefrogs are warty.
NOTE: Cuban treefrogs will NOT have warty skin covering the head. The small native cricket frogs, who also have warty skin and do have warts on head area. Check notes on young treefrogs below.
Fourth, they have a yellow color under their armpits and in the groin area.
Fifth, with larger Cuban treefrogs, the skin will be fused to the skull.
Young Cuban treefrogs – those within the size range of our native frogs, have bluish colored leg bones when viewed from the belly side. They also have large red “bug eyes” and a yellow stripe extending from their eye (not the lip) to the rear leg.
This is an EDRR species in the Florida panhandle currently. We are not sure where on the invasive species curve their populations currently lie, but a rapid response is in order for this species.
To verify identification and advice on managing, contact your county extension office. If you are in the Pensacola area, we will be holding a workshop on this topic April 25, 2024 at the Escambia County Extension Office. We will be providing PVC treefrog traps to help capture them. If interested contact Rick O’Connor at 850-475-5230 ext.1111, or email roc1@ufl.edu.
