by Jennifer Bearden | Feb 28, 2018
Hog rooting damage in a pitcher plant bog. Photo Credit: Jennifer Bearden
Despite efforts by public and private land managers, feral hog populations continue to rise in many areas in Florida. Feral hogs damage crop fields, lawns, wetlands, and forests. They can negatively impact native species of plants and animals. Their rooting leads to erosion and decreased water quality.
There are several options for controlling feral hogs. Choosing the right option depends on the situation. Options include:
- Hunting with dogs,
- Hunting with guns,
- Box Traps,
- Corral Traps.
Let’s talk about these options.
Hunting with dogs is really not very effective for removing enough hogs to control populations. Dog hunting can move sounders of hogs from areas where damage is occurring for a period of time. This can be helpful when crops need to be protected from hog damage until they can be harvested.
Shooting hogs also is not effective for removing large numbers of hogs. Situations where it is successful include protecting crop fields and for taking hogs that will not go into a trap. Shooting success depends the education level of the hogs and the sophistication of the shooting equipment available. Hogs learn quickly to avoid danger. They learn by watching other hogs who get shot or trapped. Hunting pressure can disrupt hog patterns and make them harder to trap or hunt.
Box traps can be effective at trapping young hogs that are not trap smart. A study conducted by a graduate student, Brian Williams, at Auburn University looked at the efficacy of different trap styles. Young hogs entered box traps and corral traps at similar rates. The study also found that adult females were 120% more likely to enter corral traps than box traps and adult males were more reluctant to enter either trap style but were more likely to enter the corral traps. (Williams et al, 2011)
Corral traps are shown to be most effective for eliminating complete sounders. By eliminating a sounder at once, populations can be reduced. Corral traps are also more economical. In the Auburn study, the trapping cost per pig for box traps was $671.31 and for corral traps was $121.28.
Sounder of hogs in a corral trap. Photo Credit: Jennifer Bearden
Corral traps are best for capturing whole sounders. Box traps can be effective for capturing young hogs. When trap smart adult females or males are in an area, shooting or hunting with dogs are options. Just remember that hunting pressure often just moves the hog problem onto another property. In order to eliminate hogs from a given area, we must employ several of these strategies. For example, we may be able to trap a sounder in a given area but still have a group of boars that will not go into a trap. In this case, we may set up to shoot them after trapping the rest of the hogs in a corral trap. By using these two techniques, we can drastically reduce the number of hogs in an area.
For more information about feral hogs, go to http://articles.extension.org/feral_hogs.
Reference: Brian L. Williams, Robert W. Holtfreter, Stephen S. Ditchkoff, James B. Grand Trap Style Influences Wild Pig Behavior and Trapping Success. Source: Journal of Wildlife Management, 75(2):432-436
by Jennifer Bearden | Feb 27, 2018
Wetland area on Hurlburt Field Air Force Base has been invaded by channeled apple snails. Photo Credit: Lorraine Ketzler
When you think of snails, you probably aren’t thinking about scary monsters that have been unleashed to terrorize us all. I’m here to warn you that you should. The channeled apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) is a known agricultural pest that competes with native snail species. In our area (panhandle Florida, Hurlburt Field to be exact) this snail is consuming unknown quantities of plant material in our sensitive wetlands. If you didn’t know, Hurlburt Field Air Force Base is one of the last places on Earth where the endangered reticulated flatwoods salamander (Ambystoma bishopi) can still be found, and this endangered salamander relies on healthy wetlands and ephemeral ponds for breeding.
So why should you worry? Just think about how snails eat: snails have a tongue (a radula) with teeth-like structures (denticles) they use to rasp or drill into their food. Normally, nobody would really worry about what snails are eating; they’re snails, right? But, here comes the scary part: when there are many snails, all eating and breeding and growing and eating, they consume a lot of material. And, what once was a cute little snail in your 10-gallon aquarium becomes a rampaging menace when you dump your tank out in the ditch next to your house and the snail escapes into the wild!
Channeled applesnail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck, 1819). Photograph by Jeffrey Lotz, DPI. Click on the picture for more information on apple snails in Florida.
Ok, let’s be honest, it’s not like snails are running wild. I mean, they’re as slow as…well…snails. But what we believe began as a dumped aquarium pet some years ago has become a large population that is expanding into our wetlands. Although it is currently not found in our salamander breeding ponds (whew!), if we don’t do something to stop it, it soon could be. Here we are in Florida, where we have many examples of dumped or escaped animals that are breeding and growing and eating and breeding with no population control. This is one heck of a great example of an invasive species.
So, what are we going to do about this creeping, slimy, menace? Well, in our case, we called our invasive species contractor, and this year we will begin a labor-intensive project to control this species’ population on Hurlburt Field. We could use your support! Please use the IveGot1 app or EDDMaps to report local encounters with channeled apple snails. And, please DO NOT release non-native wildlife into the wild!
Guest Author:
Lorraine “Rain” Ketzler
Associate Wildlife Biologist
Hurlburt Field Natural Resources Manager
by Jennifer Bearden | Feb 27, 2018
Fluffy Mimosa Bloom. Photo Credit: Mary Salinas
All along the roadsides and in home landscapes in summer, a profusion of fluffy pink blossoms are adorning trees known as mimosa, or Albizia julibrissin. This native of China was introduced to home landscapes in this country in the 1700’s to enjoy the fragrant, showy flowers and fine, lacy foliage. However, there is a dark side to this lovely tree. After blooming, it produces an abundance of pods each containing 5 to 10 seeds. Seeds can be spread by wildlife and water; this is evidenced by the appearance of mimosa trees along the roadways, streams and in our natural areas. The seeds can also remain dormant for many years, allowing the trees to keep sprouting long after the mother tree is gone.
Mimosa has been categorized as an invasive exotic plant in Florida by the University of Florida IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas. This designation means that the tree has not only naturalized, but is expanding on its own in Florida native plant communities. This expansion means that our native plants in natural areas get crowded out by mimosa as it reproduces so prolifically.
Mimosa tree in bloom. Photo Credit: Mary Salinas
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council (FLEPPC) publishes a list of non-native plants that have been determined to be invasive. Click here for the most recent 2017 list!
The first step in controlling this pest plant is to remove existing plants in the landscape. Cutting it down at soil level and immediately painting the stump with a 25% solution of glyphosate or triclopyr should do the trick. Further details and control methods can be found here.
There are some native trees that make excellent alternatives to mimosa such as fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), silverbell (Halesia carolina) and flowering dogwood (Cornus florida).
Guest Author:
Mary Salinas
Residential Horticulture Agent
Santa Rosa County
by Erik Lovestrand | Feb 26, 2018
Tree privet in Wakulla County. The large shrub is rapidly becoming a dominant species in the understory of this woodlot. Photo Credit: Erik Lovestrand
Keep your eyes open for this Category 1 FLEPPC invader. When the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council deems a plant a Category 1, it means that the plant is capable of altering native ecosystems by displacing native species. Other common names for this Ligustrum include glossy privet and wax-leaf ligustrum, which are fitting descriptions of the large, shiny leaves arranged oppositely on the stems. Belonging to the olive family (Oleaceae), this small tree can grow to 10 m tall and form a dense shady canopy above the forest understory. It has been documented in several Central to North Florida counties and has also escaped in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Georgia Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Maryland, California and Hawaii, as well as other countries (K.A. Langeland, et al. University of Florida-IFAS Pub SP 257, 2008).
The typical growth pattern often involves multiple trunks with very smooth bark and twigs being dotted with numerous corky lenticels. Once a parent plant is established it will produce copious clusters of dark drupes that will blanket the understory with small seedlings in a short time due to very high germination rates. Birds are a likely dispersal mechanism also. It prefers a mesic hardwood hammock setting in North Florida and when cut down, readily re-sprouts with many new stems from the trunk. An herbicide application to stumps is a must for control. These plants can gain an advantage in many ways in our native habitats. They tend to be salt tolerant and are able to withstand fire well. They can grow in acidic to alkaline soils but do not do well in wet soil conditions. They will commonly colonize river banks though where the higher levees provide a deeper, sandier footing.
Large tree privet trunk in Wakulla County. Photo Credit: Erik Lovestrand
There are two other non-native ligustrums established in North Florida also but they are easy to separate if you look closely at the foliage. The plant commonly called Chinese ligustrum (l. sinense) has much smaller leaves. The more similar looking Japenese ligustrum (l. japonicum, also called wax-leaf privet), can be distinguished by the lack of a thin translucent margin along the leaf edges. This is easy to see if you hold a tree privet leaf against a backlit setting.
For more information on Ligustrum lucidum, visit the UF IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants Directory
by Rick O'Connor | Feb 26, 2018
Invasive Torpedo Grass. Photo Credit: Rick O’Connor
The topic of invasive species has been with Floridians for decades. Stories of large pythons, exotic lizards, and crazy ants have been coming out of south Florida for years. Brazilian Pepper, Australian Pine, and Melaleuca are just three species of trees that have invaded the Everglades and other south Florida ecosystems.
Though we are having more problems with plants than animals, north Florida is not without their list of invasive problems. Cogongrass, Chinese Tallow, and Japanese Climbing Fern are well established and resource managers are constantly battling these and other invasives. In recent years Lionfish, Cuban Anoles, and a few sightings of Cuban Treefrogs have made their way onto our radar. All of these invasive species are causing either an environmental problem, an economic one, or both and need to be controlled. However, land and resource managers need to know what is out there to be able to do this; and the public can help.
So what can you do?
One of the most frequently used databases is www.EDDMaps.org. Land and resource managers, both public and private, can view this website to see which species are in the area, where they are located, and how common the species is. However, it is only as good as the data provided. Anyone can report an invasive species on EDDMaps.
Invasive lizard – the Cuban Anole. Photo Credit; Jerry Patee.
From the home page, you can find a variety of information on invasive species. To report a sighting you will need an account. On the toolbar at the top, you will see REPORT SIGHTINGS. Clicking here will take you through a series of questions. There is some information that you need to have ready. For example, how much area of the property does the invasive plant cover? Estimates are fine but try to be as close as possible. You will also need to know your location. Most phones have a compass on them where the Latitude and Longitude are provided. However, it will need to be converted to decimal point to be posted and there is a conversion tool on the website to do this for you. It is important to report your Longitude as a negative number, or else it will think you are in the eastern hemisphere. Photos are very MUCH desired and, again, your phone photo is good enough. On the home page, you will also see how to download the app “I’ve Got One” which is a quick and easy way to report an invasive species while in the field.
If you are not familiar with many of the invasive species, you can spend some time on the website to learn more. You can also contact your local extension office to discuss species that we know are in the area and those that are nearby. These are good species to be on the watch for and, with your help, we can help keep the website updated.
The extension offices in the Pensacola area will be hosting trainings on invasive species identification and EDDMaps reporting later this year. If interested contact Rick O’Connor (850) 475-5230.
by Jennifer Bearden | Feb 2, 2018
Aliens are invading our forests, pastures, fields and lawns. Well, okay, it’s not aliens but it is invasive species. Invasive species are non-native or exotic species that do not naturally occur in an area, cause economic or environmental harm, or negatively impact human health. These invasive species have become the number one threat to biodiversity on protected lands. However, invasive species do not know boundaries, and as a result, public, private lands, natural and man-made water bodies, and associated watersheds are affected. National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is February 26-March 2, 2018.
It is estimated that Florida Agriculture loses $179 million annually from invasive pests (http://www.defenders.org/sites/default/files/publications/florida.pdf). Generally, eradication of an invasive species is difficult and expensive. Most of the mitigation efforts focus on control rather than eradication.
EDDMaps (Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System), a web-based mapping system for reporting invasive species, currently has 667 different invasive plants reported in Florida. Many invasive insects, animals and diseases have also landed in Florida. Some famous invasive species in Florida include cogongrass, wild hogs, red imported fire ants, Chinese tallow, and lionfish.
For National Invasive Species Awareness Week, the University of Florida IFAS Northwest Extension District will highlight new invasive species each day. There are a couple of ways to receive this information during NISAW:
You can help us control invasive species in several ways:
- Always be cautious when bringing plants or plant materials into the state. Plants or even dead plant material can harbor weeds, insects and diseases that can become invasive in our state.
- When you see something suspicious, contact your local extension agent for help identifying the weed, insect or disease.
- You can volunteer your time and effort. Invasive species control is difficult and requires a cooperative effort for funding and manpower. The state has several Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMA) in which public and private organizations work together to control invasive species in their area. These CISMAs hold work days in which volunteers can help remove invasive species from the environment. https://www.floridainvasives.org/cismas.cfm
For more information about NISAW or invasive species, contact your local county extension agent.
