Silverside Minnows of the Florida Panhandle
Based on our seine surveys along the beaches of most estuaries in the Florida panhandle, this is one of the most abundant fish in our bays. No matter the time of year, or the location, estuarine seining usually includes numerous individuals of this group. It is very...
Let’s Do the Weed Wrangle 2022
What is the Weed Wrangle? It is a national event held every February where members of local communities visit a public area to remove invasive plants. However, due to COVID, we are again doing it “virtually” this year. Virtually meaning that members of the local...
Is Tuna Trendy?
February is American Heart Month and when I think of heart, my thoughts turn to seafood. Perhaps that is unusual, but I love seafood and the fact that the American Heart Association recommends 1 to 2 seafood meals a week fits right into my gastronomic plans. More...
Poecilids, Livebearing Fish of the Florida Panhandle
Members of the family Poeciliidae are what many call “livebearers”. Live bearing meaning they do lay eggs as most fish do, but rather give birth to live young. But this is not to be confused with live-bearing you find in mammals – which is different. Most...
Why do we have so many springs in Florida?
Florida has one of the largest concentrations of freshwater springs in the world. More than 1000 have been identified statewide, and here in the Florida Panhandle, more than 250 have been found. Not only are they an important source of potable water, springs have...
A Cold Winter’s Snake – the Garter
When hiking around the Florida panhandle in midwinter, most snakes are undercover trying to avoid the chilly cold fronts that pass through and can drop temperatures close to freezing. So, the probability of seeing one is low. But one species, the eastern garter...
Fall and Winter—Florida’s Tree Planting Seasons
While many people think of planting trees in the spring, autumn and winter are ideal for these activities in Florida. The cooler weather means most trees are no longer actively growing and producing new leaves and fruit, so there are fewer demands on a newly planted...
Six Rivers CISMA EDRR Invasive Species of the Month – Coral Ardisia
EDRR Invasive Species Coral Ardisia (Ardisia crenata) Define Invasive Species: must have ALL of the following – Is non-native to the area, in our case northwest Florida Introduced by humans, whether intentional or accidental Causing either an environmental or economic...
Chronic Wasting Disease Gets Closer to Florida
Below is a bulletin sent out by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission on 01/10/2022 02:53 Chronic wasting disease or CWD was recently detected in a hunter-harvested deer in northwestern Alabama, making it the 28th state where CWD has been...
Killifish of the Florida Panhandle
Like many of you reading this article, I grew up here in the northern Gulf coast. I spent a lot of time at the beach and in the water enjoying this fantastic place people use to call the “miracle strip” and now call the “emerald coast”. I would spend hours swimming,...