Florida Black Bear visiting an easy food source. Photo by Jennifer Bearden
Florida Black Bear are the largest land mammals in the state of Florida. At birth they are smaller than a soda can but they quickly grow up to 250-400 pounds for males and 125-250 pounds for females. Even though black bears are large animals, they are not fierce killers nor are they cute and cuddly. Bears are like most other wildlife; if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you.
In 1974, bear population numbers were extremely low and the Florida Black Bear was listed as a state threatened species. Today, we have increased bear population numbers 10 fold to about 3,000 statewide.
Graphics courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
As urban areas have expanded into bear habitat, the number of bear/human interactions has increased. Bears are omnivorous with 80% of their diet coming from plants. Bears are fairly intelligent creatures that forage for easy food sources. Urban areas tend to attract nearby bears with food sources such as garbage containers, pet food dishes, and bird feeders. Bears become accustom to food sources near humans and lose some fear of humans and may even bluff charge humans to defend their food source. The best way to prevent this is to remove food sources.
Clean BBQ grills and store them in a secure building when not in use.
Take garbage to the curb the morning of pickup instead of the night before.
Store garbage cans in a sturdy building or other secure area.
Feed pets inside and store pet food securely.
Protect gardens and trees with electric fencing.
Hang wildlife feeders out of reach of bears and take them down if bears are in the area.
It is illegal to feed bears in Florida (Florida Administrative Code 68A-4.001(3)). In addition to being illegal, it isn’t smart. Feeding bears intentionally or unintentionally increases the likelihood of human injury, property damage and bear injury or death.
So what do you do if you encounter a bear?
Remain calm and don’t run!
Don’t approach the bear, instead give it space to retreat.
Back away slowly without looking the bear in the eyes.
Speak to the bear in a calm voice.
Bring children and pets inside.
Find a safe place then make a lot of noise to let the bear know it isn’t welcome – yell, bang pots and pans, raise your hands high and stand tall to scare the bear away.
Spring is a dynamic time for wildlife. If you enjoy watching nature, now is a fantastic time to get outdoors to see some interesting activity. March is also one of the best times of year to do some active management on your property to enhance the habitat you provide for wildlife.
Purple martins select nest sites during February-March in the Panhandle, so now is your last chance to make martin housing available. Photo by Sarah Friedl.
Because of its position just north of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida is the first landmass where many exhausted birds can rest after migrating northward to the U.S. from South and Central America. The strenuous northward migration is now underway for many species of birds. That means this is one of the most interesting times of year to visit your local natural area with a pair of binoculars. A trip to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge or your nearby State Park or Wildlife Management Area could result in a glimpse of several migratory species that are rarely seen in the area.
Purple martin scouts began their migration from South America to the Panhandle nearly four weeks ago. If you have purple martin housing and have not yet cleaned out last year’s nesting material, now is your last chance to do this. Wash out your housing with soap and water. If you take your martin housing indoors during the fall and winter to protect it from harsh weather or if you plug the entrances to prevent use by other species, don’t wait any longer to make your housing available to martins or you’ll miss out on attracting them this year. Older martins remain extremely faithful to the exact same nesting site, so will want to return to the housing you provided them last year. In contrast, yearling martins that hatched last summer tend to return to the same area they were born in Florida about 4-6 weeks later than the older scouts. These yearling birds are generally the ones who adopt new housing and start new colonies. Therefore, this week is the ideal time to put up new purple martin housing in the Panhandle.
Eastern bluebirds are resident all year round, but March is when they begin nesting in the Panhandle. Because bluebirds have a habit of nesting several times each year, it is possible that birds will adopt new houses erected later in the spring. However, the sooner you make new bluebird houses available, the greater the chances you’ll attract nesting birds. When deciding where to locate new bluebird houses, remember that bluebirds are territorial and will not let another bluebird nest within ~100 yards of a nest site they’ve already chosen.
Bluebirds nest several times each year, so you can install a new bluebird house anytime during the spring, although February-March is ideal. Photo by Holly Ober.
I am an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation. My research covers wildlife ecology, habitat management, and identifying creative ways to cope with nuisance wildlife.
Deer grazing test plots at the NFREC in Quincy. Food plots can benefit deer year round, not just during hunting season.
To the chagrin of hunters across the panhandle deer season has drawn to a close. As the days lengthen and temperatures begin to climb, many of the area’s outdoorsmen (and women) shift their focus to a more aquatic nature. However, those sportsmen, who will place a premium on antler size in the fall, should not neglect the nutritional needs of the deer herd during the spring and summer months.
There is a well-documented correlation between deer nutrition and antler growth. Antler growth is suppressed when adequate nutrition is not available. Antler growth requires a large amount of energy and protein. The energy requirements for antler growth can generally be met by the deer’s natural environment. However, some natural environments may not supply enough protein to maximize antler growth. Nutrition is only one of several factors effecting antler growth but it is perhaps the easiest of those factors to alter.
Source: Mississippi State University, Forest & Wildlife Research Center http://www.fwrc.msstate.edu/pubs/antler.pdf
As with all animals, a deer’s nutritional demands change over time. The suppressing effect of insufficient protein in the diet is most evident in younger bucks. This is because the bodies of immature deer are still growing. The processes of growth and development demand protein. When antler growth is added to the equation the protein demand of a young buck can easily exceed what is provided by it natural environment. Research indicates that young, growing deer during antler development need a diet that is approximately 16% crude protein in order to maximize antler growth. Mature bucks can maximize antler growth with as little as 10% crude protein.
Planting and maintaining warm season food plots is a good way for a deer herd manager to help prevent any nutritional limitations to antler growth. Food plots are often thought of in terms of their ability to attract deer to a specific location during hunting season. However, if properly utilized food plots can have a lasting positive effect on an area’s deer herd and other wildlife. Follow the links for the basics on food plot establishment and soil fertility management.
If your goal is to increase the amount of protein available to the deer herd then legumes are your best bet. Some warm season legumes that do well in the panhandle include Aeschynomene, Alyceclover, Cowpeas, Soybeans, Lablab, and Perennial Peanut. It is important that you select species and varieties that are suited to the conditions (especially soil properties) of the area you intend to use them. It is also recommended that you plant a variety of species in any food plot.
The species listed vary in terms of grazing tolerance and recommended planting technique. Contact your county’s extension office for more details.
Legumes provide high amounts of protein to deer and other wildlife because they contain relatively high amounts of nitrogen. Due to a symbiotic relationship with a specific type bacteria, legumes are able to utilize atmospheric nitrogen. Other plants are dependent solely on soil nitrogen. To ensure that the proper bacteria is available to the legume it is important to inoculate legume seeds prior to planting. Inoculants are available through most seed dealers. Be sure that you get the proper inoculant for the species you are planting. Aeschynomene, Alyceclover, and Cowpeas all require the inoculant for the cowpea group. Soybeans and Lablab each have a species specific inoculant. Perennial Peanut does not require inoculation because it is not planted from seeds. Additional information about inoculants, planting techniques, and fertilization is available from your county’s extension office.
Planting food plots does not guarantee any additional antler growth but it is one way to help alleviate a possible limiting factor. Habitat improvement and additional available nutrition can benefit the entire ecosystem. If you want to get the most out of your property, in terms of deer production, it is important to provide the deer what they need all year long, not just during hunting season.
March 6th: Climbing Ferns (Lygodium sp.) & Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Japanese Climbing Fern (Lygodium japonicum) and Old World Climbing Ferns (Lygodium microphyllum): are presently the only non-native invasive ferns in Florida. Both ferns reproduce and spread readily by wind-blown spores. A single fertile leaflet can produce 28,600 spores. Animals, equipment, and even people that move through an area with climbing ferns are very likely to pick up spores and move them to other locations on the property or even to other properties. In 2005, they covered 122,787 acres of Florida.
Japanese Climbing Fern Lygodium japonicum photo by Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org
Japanese climbing fern is a delicate looking perennial climbing vine. It is capable of forming a dense mat-like thatch capable of covering trees and shrubs. Initially, it was introduced from Japan as an ornamental. It is scattered throughout the lower portions of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, and south into central Florida. Further planting or cultivation of this vine is prohibited by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It climbs very quickly to the crowns of pine trees, which can move fire into the growth points during controlled burns, making it a concern on forested lands.
Old World climbing fern has been a problem for many years in central and south Florida but it is currently moving north. The first plant was documented in 1958 by a nursery in Delray Beach. By 1965, it
was found in natural areas of Marion County. The northern edge of its advance by 2012 was Hernando County on the Gulf side and Duval County on the Atlantic coast.
Adequate control of both climbing ferns has been achieved with multiple applications of glyphosate and/or metsulfuron. Other herbicides, such as triclopyr and imazapic have also been used to control
Old World Climbing Fern Lygodium microphyllum photo by Ken A. Langeland, University of Florida, Bugwood.org
Japanese climbing fern. However, when the plant is growing in areas adjacent to wetlands or water, fewer herbicides are registered for those sites. Hand digging is also an option, except when the fern is producing spore covered leaflets. Disturbing it then would propagate more plants.
As with most invasive plants, repeated and correctly timed treatments are likely to be necessary. For more information about climbing ferns contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office and read the following publications: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr133 and http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss-agr-21.
For more information contact Les Harrison, Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension Agent by phone at 850-926-3931.
Chinese Privet Ligustrum sinense photo by James H. Miller & Ted Bodner, Southern Weed Science Society, Bugwood.org
Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense): Chinese Privet is a non-native shrubby tree commonly found in forested areas in northern Florida. This eastern invader thrives in low-lying, wet areas near forest openings and fence rows. Other species of the Ligustrum genus are commonly grown in landscapes. Chinese Privet can be identified in the spring by its small white flowers which omit a foul odor. Birds easily spread this weed by feeding on and excreting the fruit which contain many seeds. Additionally, Chinese Privet can spread by underground plant structures called rhizomes which allow new shoots to sprout up from the ground from a mother plant.
March 5th: Torpedo Grass (Panicum repens) & Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)
Torpedo Grass Photo Credit: Graves Lovell, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, www.bugwood.org
Torpedo Grass: Torpedo grass (Panicum repens) is an invasive weed that invades lawns, flowerbeds, landscapes and wetlands. Even if introduced into a small area, this weed can rapidly spread to become a monoculture and crowd out native vegetation. Its name is derived from the hard, sharp point of the rhizome that looks like a torpedo.
Native to Africa and Asia, Torpedo Grass was introduced to the United States around 1876, primarily through seed used for forage crops. The real infestation came in the early part of the 20th century when the USDA imported and distributed seed for planting pastures as forage for cattle. It proved to be inferior for use as a forage crop. Now it is found in the Gulf South from Florida to Texas and in other coastal areas around the world.
Torpedo grass is nearly impossible to completely eliminate, so management of it is not a matter of how to get rid of it completely but instead how to prevent it from taking over an area. The only way that this can be accomplished is with repeated and frequent efforts. You will have to scout regularly and any time torpedo grass is seen, promptly take action. Prevention of torpedo grass centers on removal of the entire plant, as the plant can regrow from fragments left behind in the soil. There are few control options for torpedo grass. Options will depend on its location and surrounding vegetation. For management in lawns please refer to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep387 for specific herbicide controls based predominate lawn species. For management of invasive species in natural areas, refer to http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wg209 for a comprehensive list of species and their controls. As always, refer to instructions on herbicide label to ensure proper usage.
For more information contact the author Brooke Saari, Sea Grant Marine Science Extension Agent, 850-689-5850.
Hydrilla:Hydrilla is a perennial submerged plant that grows in dense mats up to the surface of freshwater habitats, including ponds, lakes, springs, and rivers. Growing at the rapid rate
Hydrilla Photo Credit: Vic Ramey, UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
of an inch a day and up to 25 feet long, hydrilla shades out beneficial native plants and clogs waterways, preventing flood control, boating, and fishing. In dense populations, the plant can alter oxygen levels and water chemistry and survive in a wide variety of nutrient conditions, sunlight availability, and temperatures.
Originating in Asia, it was introduced to Florida (likely through Tampa and Miami) in the 1950’s as part of the worldwide aquarium trade. Hydrilla has become a very expensive problem for the state. Millions are spent annually on chemical and mechanical treatment simply to maintain the plant. Adding to the problem is the fact that it is still available commercially, even though it has been placed on the US Federal Noxious Weed List. In the United States, the plant is found as far north as Connecticut and west to California and Washington.
Methods of control include mechanical harvesters and chopping machines (although fragments of hydrilla left in the water can regrow), introduced insects and fish (particularly the Chinese grass carp), aquatic herbicides, and lake drawdowns. Hydrilla is often transported from one body of water to the other by unknowing boaters moving fragments of the plant left on boats, trailers, or live wells, so learning to identify the plant and cleaning boats before leaving the ramp are helpful in prevention. Visit the Extension Hydrilla IPM site for more helpful tips.
For more information contact the author Carrie Stevenson, Coastal Sustainability Agent at 850-475-5230.
As Floridians we often struggle to find any upside to these cold, gray days we’ve been experiencing past few months. As “unfloridian” as our winters can be they pale in comparison to those endured by the more northern states. In fact, the last days of winter can be the ideal time of year in the Panhandle to tackle some outdoor chores like controlling unwanted trees and other woody plants.
Controlling trees can be hard work, the cooler temperatures can make the task a little less taxing. The relative inactivity of the “creepy crawlies” and pests often found in wooded areas is another reason to consider completing tree and woody plant removal projects during the winter.
Tree control generally involves mechanical removal. In some cases mechanical removal provides only short term control; in other cases it can actually increase the number of unwanted plants over time. This is the problem with both Chinese tallow (popcorn tree) and privet. Herbicide treatments can eliminate the possibility of regrowth and provide permanent control. The herbicide application techniques used to control trees and other woody plants are very selective and they are effective during the winter. These techniques provide opportunities to use herbicides in a controlled and very targeted manner with very little risk to surrounding plants. Additionally, the techniques below are most effective through the fall and winter when sap flow in trees is lessened.
For best results the cut stump treatment should be done immediately after the tree has been cut down. Photo courtesy of Mark Mauldin.
The cut stump technique is a fairly common and very effective method of achieving permanent control of woody plants. As the name implies, the first step in the cut stump technique is to cut down the tree. Immediately after cutting down the tree spray or paint the stump with herbicide. On smaller stumps the entire surface should be covered with herbicide; on larger stumps effective control can be achieved by only covering the outside three inches of the stump.
With the basal treatment, cover the bottom 12 to 18 inches of the tree with the herbicide oil mixture. Be sure to cover the entire circumference of the tree. Photo courtesy of Mark Mauldin.
Two additional herbicide application techniques that work well on woody plants do not require the plants to be cut down first. The basal application technique works best on smooth barked woody plants with a diameter of less than six inches. This technique involves spraying the bottom 12 to 18 inches of the tree with an herbicide oil mixture.
The hack and squirt method works well on large and/or thick barked trees. This technique involves using hatchet or other tool to cut through the bark around the circumference of the tree, then applying herbicide directly to the cut. Several months should pass between herbicide application using either of these techniques and mechanical removal.
The hack and squirt treatment is best for large and/or thick barked trees. Photo courtesy of Mark Mauldin.
