The Coachwhip Snake
By Dr. Steve A. Johnson, Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida As I was pondered writing about snakes for Panhandle Outdoors, an email notification appeared on my computer screen: “Snake in Pensacola Bay”. As a State Extension...
A Sea of Christmas Lights
Most people would agree that this is one of the best times of the year. Christmas brings great music, great cooking, great family gatherings, and… great lights. The lighting of Christmas is one of the more beautiful parts of these celebrations and as I thought about...
Frogfish of the Florida Panhandle
Hoese and Moore1 describes members of the frogfish family as “grotesque”. Well… maybe. I am not sure I would call them grotesque, but they are sort of gelatinous blobs with reduced or missing scales. They feel sort of “mushy”. They have broad shaped fins and a...
Good Teachers
There is an oft quoted proverb “those who can't do, teach.” It is meant to be humorous, but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Teachers of all kinds have enormous impacts on our lives. For graduates of the Florida Master Naturalist Program (FMNP) there is a...
Clingfish of the Florida Panhandle
This series on vertebrates of the Florida panhandle is to enhance your education of the different animals that call this place home. This is the only reason to include clingfish to this list… to enhance your education. There are about 500 species of fishes in...
Six Rivers Dirty Dozen Invasive Species of the Month – Red Imported Fire Ant
Six Rivers “Dirty Dozen” Invasive Species Red Fire Ant (Solenopis invicta) 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...
Six Rivers EDRR Invasive Species of the Month – Apple Snails
EDRR Invasive Species Apple Snails (Pomace sp.) 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...
Explore Escribano Point Wildlife Management Area
The diversity and natural beauty of the Escribano Point Wildlife Management area is breathtaking. These six square miles of conservation lands provides many types of outdoor recreation including: birdwatching, kayaking, camping,...
Iron-oxidizing bacteria: an unusual natural phenomenon
“Someone dumped oil in the creek behind my house!” I had dozens of people call with that exclamation when I was a field inspector for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (FDEP) wetlands compliance program. A significant portion of the job entailed...
Parasitic Plants of the Florida Panhandle
There are many problems that can plague a plant in our environment, from fungi that love the humidity in North Florida to insects that chew through leaves. One less common but interesting source of stress for plants comes from...other plants? Most plants are content...