Fall Snake Encounters
As many of you know, I do programs with snakes and receive a lot of calls about them. But in recent weeks I have seen an increase in the number of calls and the number of encounters inside of homes. Though most of the home invasions have been in the garage, one...
Discovering Dissolved Oxygen
We all know how important oxygen is to all life. It is an element with the atomic number of 8, meaning it has eight protons and eight electrons. It has an atomic mass of 16 indicating that it also has eight neutrons. Oxygen is a gas at room...
Mountains of Jellyfish
In recent weeks there have been reports of large masses of jellyfish along the Gulf Coast. I have actually heard people state “I would rather be in the water with 100 sharks than 100 jellyfish”. Maybe that is true from some. Honestly, it seems...
Our Native Saturniid Moths
It certainly appears that I am on an insect kick of late based on the content of my last three newsletter articles. Honestly though, when I think about it, bugs definitely rank near the top of my list for mystery and intrigue in the natural world. When we begin to dig...
The Pensacola Bay Horseshoe Crab Hunt 2022
This is an amazing animal – the horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus). A relic of an age before the dinosaurs, they have been plowing the sediments of our marine and estuarine waters for over 400 million years. They are thick armored tanks, shaped like...
Buggin’ Out! When the Outdoors Comes Indoors
AUTHOR: ETHAN CARTER - Regional Agriculture Specialist; Northwest District While many people enjoying hiking and exploring the outdoors, coming home to find unexpected bugs in the house is much less enjoyable. There are several key factors that generally lead insects...
Bad Cat Classic 2022 -Catfishing and Bream Tournament
Father and son team in 2021 Bad Cat Classic. The Bad Cat Classic will be hosted on August 27, 2022 by the Holmes County by UF/IFAS Extension Holmes County. The Bad Cat Classic is a bream and catfishing tournament with the mission to get youth on the water, spending...
Come on in… The Water Is Fine!
Well… It’s Better When I joined Florida Sea Grant in 2012 my advisory committee told me water quality was one of their major concerns. Makes sense really. Some members were from the tourism and boating industry. Some were from commercial and...
Can You Find a Coral Snake?
Most of you – okay… ALL of you who read this column like the outdoors. Some like it for its peace and beauty, some for recreation opportunities, some like it for both. One activity I have found many enjoy is seeking creatures from a list. A sort of...
Guidelines on Selecting a Consulting Forester
Author: Ian Stone - Forestry Extension Agent Walton County Selecting a consulting forester is often a major decision for small to large private landowners engaged in forest management and enterprises. Consulting foresters provide technical forestry assistance in all...