
Six Rivers CISMA EDRR Invasive Species of the Month – Water Hyacinth
EDRR Invasive Species Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) 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...

Cuban Treefrogs in the Panhandle
Treefrog calls are often heard with each rain event. But, how about a “snoring raspy” call that begins after a day time light rain? That may be a male Cuban treefrog trying to attract the girls. Cuban treefrogs breed predominately in the spring and summer. ...

Grow Clovers not Weeds
I don’t know about you but I’m getting excited about planting cool season food plots! Now is the time to get those soil samples tested and start planning for this upcoming hunting season. Once we get our soil pH adjusted and our forages chosen, we need to turn our...

Scalloping, Be Safe and Protect Wildlife: Tips from UF/IFAS and Florida Sea Grant Experts
By Tory Moore, UF/IFAS Communications & Ray Bodrey, UF/IFAS Extension Gulf County As boaters across the state take to Florida’s coast to scallop, UF/IFAS Extension and Florida Sea Grant agents ask enthusiasts to keep these tips in mind for a safe, fun and...

Meadow Beauty
Have you noticed the beautiful pink flowers in the meadows near the woods? That’s what many early explorers of Florida may have said, which lead to the common name of Rhexia spp. Meadow beauty (Rhexia spp.) is a Florida native found in mainly moist habitats,...

Summer Tis the Season for Sensational Seafood
Summertime in North Florida is an awesome time of year if you like to harvest and prepare your own seafood from local waters. In my area, around Wakulla and Franklin County, scallop season runs from July 1 - September 24. In St. Joseph Bay, another popular scalloping...

Sturgeon in the Florida Panhandle
This is one strange, primitive, dinosaur-looking fish. They have large scutes embedded in their skin that give them an armored look. They are big – reaching 14 feet in length and 800 pounds (though the Gulf sturgeon does not reach the large size of their cousin the...

Ocean Potion
June is National Ocean Month. Close your eyes and think about just how many oceans there are. Surprise, there is only one! The ocean is huge, covering over 70 percent of the earth’s surface. Traditionally, the ocean was divided into four named ocean basins: the...

Rays of the Florida Panhandle
In our continuing series on the biogeographic distribution of island vertebrates, this week we look at a creature that, for some, is as scary as sharks – the rays. The term stingray conjures up stinging barbs and painful encounters, and these have happened, but rays...

Streak-ed Heads, Softshells, Yellow-bellies and Red-bellies: River Turtles of North Florida
Identifying North Florida river turtles can be quite challenging, given the fact that several species are collectively referred to as “streak-ed heads” by many people. Although you will not find this term in the scientific naming conventions, it is actually an apt...