Killer Turkey Food Plot
Before you know it spring turkey season will be upon us and now is the time to start planning a killer turkey food plot. Establishing a great food plot takes more than just planting seeds. It takes planning and preparation prior to planting those seeds. The prime...
Our Environment – Introduction
Each year I survey the public to determine what their needs are – what they are most concerned about – and where Extension might help. One of the primary functions of Extension is to provide local clientele with solutions to their needs – our mantra at UF IFAS...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Meroplankton
What are meroplankton? How do they differ from regular plankton? In the plankton world there are those that are plankton (drifters) their whole lives – holoplankton – and those who are plankton for only part of their lives – meroplankton. Most know the meroplankton...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Copepods
So far in this series we have been discussing microscopic creatures in the northern Gulf of Mexico that are single celled – though many may be linked together in chains. In this article we will begin discussing microscopic creatures that are multicellular. When you...
Is it Colder than Last Year? What the Data Says.
Over the last 10 years or so, the Florida Panhandle has gotten used to relatively warm winters, at least historically speaking. While we have experienced sharp cold snaps that were devastating to unprepared landscapes and gardens (the most recent being the late...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Ciliate Protozoans
After two articles on protozoans, we now know what these animal-like creatures are. We have discussed some that move by flagella, and others than move by pseudopodia. The last group by short flagella called cilia. Ciliates are often covered with these small...
Florida’s Fall Foliage – Why 2024 Brought the Best Show in Recent History
The Panhandle isn’t known for its fall foliage. The best we can normally hope for are splashes of pale yellow amidst a sea of green pine needles, drab brown leaves killed by the first frost, and invasive Chinese Tallow trees taunting us with vibrant colors we know we...
Sunshine in the Winter
The sweetly scented, golden yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers on the cascading, fine textured foliage of Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) covering fences and trees in open woodlands and along roadsides from late January to early April makes it one of the most...
Marine Creatures of the Northern Gulf of Mexico – Amoeboid Protozoans
In our last article we asked the question - “what are protozoans?” As we mentioned then the breakdown of the word includes “proto” which means “before”, and “zoan” which refers to animals. These are the “before animals” – meaning animal-like creatures BEFORE there...
Fall Web Worms, An Annual Nuisance
Each year in the fall you may notice tent-like webs in hardwood trees with dead or stripped foliage inside. These unsightly webs and foliage damage are caused by a common forest insect in our area, the fall web worm. These are the caterpillar phase of a native moth...