Striped burrfish are fascinating to watch in the wild and in aquariums. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
I have a vivid memory of snorkeling the seagrass beds around Port St. Joe when I was an undergraduate marine biology student. Our field research lab involved completing a visual fish survey, using waterproof dive slates and pencils to record the number and species of any fish that swam past us. I was conducting my survey fairly rigorously until a 6” long striped burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi) moved into my field of vision. It hovered in front of me, looking over with its gigantic puppy-like eyes, and proceeded to gently nibble on everything in sight. There are very few fish one might characterize as “cute,” but this charismatic little guy was adorable. Completely abandoning the task at hand, I stopped counting other fish and proceeded to slowly swim behind this little burrfish as it fed and swam throughout the grass bed. It was completely unfazed by my presence—I stopped to watch while it ate, then used my flippers to slowly navigate behind when it started moving again. I must have followed this fish for 30 minutes, simply observing its behavior. I could have sworn it looked back and me and signaled, “come on!” with a fin every time it moved to another location. I’ve snorkeled countless times since then, but bonding with this little fish was such a singular experience that I can visualize it clearly almost 30 years later.
A Southern puffer (left) and striped burrfish (right) in side-by-side comparison. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Hence, I’ve always had a soft spot for the striped burrfish. We occasionally pull juveniles up in a seine when taking groups out in the field, and they often puff up in response to the shock of being temporarily captured. Frequently misidentified as their Tetradont relatives, the Southern puffer (Spheroides nephelus), the burrfish is similar in size and habitat. However, they are fairly easy to differentiate by their dorsal color patterns. As the name implies, striped burrfish have brown stripes, while puffers have more of a mottled pattern. Both species have bright white countershading on their bellies (aka “ventral” side), helping them blend in with the sky above when viewed from below by potential predators. They also utilize similar defense mechanisms, filling their bodies with air or water when threatened so they physically expand, appearing bigger and more difficult to fit into a larger fish’s mouth. Burrfish also have rigid spines that point out from their bodies when in self-defense mode. This adaptation makes them more complicated to digest for a would-be attacker. Many members of this Order of fishes produce a dangerous neurotoxin, further deterring predatory attacks.
Striped burrfish expand their bodies to twice normal size when threatened. Photo credit: NOAA
To the human observer, it’s anything but intimidating to see a fish transform into a ping pong ball with fins, but the strategy must work because there are around 120 species of puffers and porcupinefish in the Order Tetraodontiformes that use this technique.
As young burrfish mature, their front teeth fuse into a tough “beak,” which they use to break through the shells of their prey. As I experienced while snorkeling, burrfish are slow swimmers, using their wide terminal mouths and large jaws to nibble on shellfish, sea urchins, and barnacles. Their characteristic body shape is boxy, built not for speed but to cruise reefs and grassbeds. Armored with spikes, poison, and the element of surprise, striped burrfish can afford to take their time and relax in the water.
The Chinese wu-ful symbol is a ring of bats used to symbolize luck and blessings in life.
When I start talking about bats, it often elicits a strong response in people. Folks either gush about how great they are, how interesting and helpful, or they shudder and talk about how bats give them the creeps. I understand why they make people nervous. They hide out and swoop around in the dark, may show up in unwanted places (like attics or sheds), and are omnipresent in every creepy horror movie or Halloween theme. Interestingly, the have absolutely the opposite cultural reputation in China. There, bats have been considered a symbol of good luck for millennia. Buildings, jewelry, artwork, etc. are adorned with bats or the “wu-fu” symbol, a circle of five bats. I certainly come down on the side of “bats are the best ever.” Collectively, the bats in our communities eat millions of mosquitoes and agricultural pests every night. Without them, we’d be overrun with insects, disease, and damaged crops.
A wildlife biologist feeds an overwhelmed mother bat and her young after they were found on the ground. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
As a mom, I also have the utmost respect for bat mothers. When a member of this acrobatic species gives birth, it’s done while hanging upside down by her feet. When the baby is born, mom catches it in her wings and the newborn crawls up to her abdomen. Bat babies are not tiny, either—at birth, they are typically up to a third of an adult bat’s weight. Can you imagine giving birth to a 50+ pound baby, while hanging from your feet? Thankfully, most births are single pups, but occasionally multiples are born. Through our local wildlife sanctuary, I once met an exhausted bat mother of triplets. She and her new brood were found together on the ground—mom was unable to carry all three with her as she flew.
Close-up photo of a Seminole bat and her two pups recovering at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Summer is maternity season for female bats, typically giving birth in May or June. Being fellow mammals, bats must stay near their newborns to nurse. It takes about three weeks for juvenile bats to learn to fly. During that time, they either cling to their mother, nursing on the road, or stay behind in a maternity colony as she feeds at night. For that reason, during the period from April 16-August 14, it is illegal to “exclude” or prevent bats from returning to their roost—even if it’s your attic. Blocking a bat’s re-entry during this time frame could result in helpless newborn bats getting trapped in a building.
So, if you have seen evidence of bats flying in and out of your attic—or another building that should not house them—you will need to wait until August 15 or later. Excluding bats from a building entails waiting for the bats to fly out at night and putting up some sort of barrier to prevent their return. This can be done using several different methods explained in this video or by using a reputable wildlife professional. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission has regulatory oversight for bat-related issues, and they will work with homeowners to arrange a positive outcome for both the homeowner and the animals involved.
On just about any spring or summer night at dusk, you can look up and see bats darting around, chasing and catching insects. If you are a total bat nerd like me, there are also several places around the southeast with large bat houses for public viewing. In Gainesville, the University of Florida bat houses are home to over 450,000 bats that leave the houses every night. An even larger colony in Austin, Texas (750,000-1.5 million bats) flies out at sunset every night to forage from their dwelling under a downtown bridge. Both are fascinating experiences, and worth a visit!
The University of Florida bat houses on the Gainesville campus are home to hundreds of thousands of bats that emerge every evening. Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace
If you’re interested in building a bat house for your own backyard, reach out (ctsteven@ufl.edu); I have examples at the office and several sets of plans for building bat houses and installing them correctly. The publication, “Effective Bat Houses for Florida” goes through the best way to figure out where to place a house and includes a set of plans.
Six months ago, they were predicting a colder than normal winter. In January that seemed to be the case. We had multiple fronts with high winds and temperatures dropping into the 20s. But February has been different. As I type this, it is 62°F and we have had some of the nicest days we have had in a while. Sunny, low humidity, really nice. AND THE GROUNDHOG SAW HIS SHADOW!!! So… maybe an early spring?
With the warmer temperatures I thought we might encounter some of our ectothermic friends (amphibians and reptiles). On days like we have seen, snakes and turtles will come out from their winter hiding spots to bask in the sun. Since our early winter article, two cottonmouths have been seen on Santa Rosa Island. They were both reported as being very sluggish – but that is to be expected – it is still winter, and the temperatures are still low in the mornings. With that thought in mind we did our February mid-winter hike at Ft. Pickens.
A cottonmouth found on the trail near Ft. Pickens. Photo: Ricky Stackhouse
The hike was on February 6. It was a beautiful sunny day, the temperature was 49°F, light wind from the north. I will say, in the wind it was a bit chilly, but behind the dunes it was very pleasant.
Along the trail I noticed a lot of green plants, but nothing was in bloom. Often the change in temperature can fool flowering plants into blooming early. However, the pine trees were full of male and female cones. They were definitely getting ready for pollen season.
The female cone of a pine tree.
Photo: Rick O’ConnorThe male cones of this pine tree are releasing the all too familiar yellow dust pollen.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
I began in the middle of the island in the hardwoods, moving slowly hoping to find a basking snake. I did not, but I did see numerous woodland songbirds. I am not a good birder, but I believe there were varieties of warblers, titmice, wrens, and the always present mockingbird. I did spot a great blue heron on a nest. Birds are endothermic – and this is their time – a great time to do some birding if you like that.
Blue herons often use the tops of pine trees for nesting.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
I took another trail heading towards the beach. This crossed through more woodlands before reaching the dunes and the shore. It was in the woodland area I came across a bald eagle nest. Many of us remember a time when we never saw bald eagles around here. Now they are becoming more common and nesting all around the bay area. These awesome birds are similar to dolphins, sea turtles, manatees, and the Blue Angels – you never get tired of seeing them. It is always an exciting moment when one flies over.
The American bald eagle.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
There was no wildlife on the beach that day but there were plenty of tracks. Mammals, even in the winter, still prefer to move around under the cover of darkness. I found the tracks of armadillo and raccoon, common mammals on our island, but there was another set that was harder to identify. The paw had the imprint of a cat (no claws visible) but the track was quite large for a feral cat. If it was, it was a big cat. I have seen bobcats in the Gulf Breeze area, and you cannot rule them out, but the pattern of the stride appeared more like an otter. Otter tracks would be webbed – these were not – so… I am not sure what it was.
Most encounter island mammals by finding their tracks.
Photo: Rick O’Connor
Leaving the beach, I returned to the inland trail heading back to the truck. On this portion of the trail, you cross over ponds just outside the walls of the fort. As I glanced across the water – hoping for a swimming snake – I saw something else. It surfaced briefly and then dove again. At first, I thought it was a diving bird, such as a cormorant or loon, but when it resurfaced, I saw that it was not. It was an otter. I had seen otters before in this area, and other pond areas on the island, but – like the bald eagle and dolphin – it is always exciting to see them again.
Based on this hike, it is still the time of the “warm-blooded”. Birds and mammals were the creatures most visible. We will see if this warming trend continues. Maybe during the late winter hike in March, we will see some of the “cold-bloods” come out. Maybe it WILL be an early spring.
For many of us in the Florida Panhandle, managing land for and hunting deer are two of the pastimes that we’ll spend the most time and money on each year. I greatly enjoy spending time in the woods and value the opportunity to fill the freezer with high-quality protein and occasionally hang a trophy rack on the wall. Managing a deer herd isn’t without its annoyances though. One of the main complaints I hear each winter from hunters is regarding their food plots not performing as well as they’d like. While all manner of things could be at fault, there are three common reasons for poor food plot performance and a few possible solutions to each – let’s take a look.
Not doing your soil homework. Crops of all kinds, winter food plot forages like small grains, clovers, and ryegrass included, perform best when their pH and nutrition needs are met. The only way to ensure that your food plot plants’ needs are being met is to perform a soil test well before planting. Soil tests show the actual levels of various nutrients (N, P, K, and other essential elements) and pH in your food plots. It is important to remember that even if your soil fertility is adequate or you plan to get it there through fertilizer applications, those nutrients are only available for plants to uptake if your pH is correct (a pH of around 6.5 is ideal for winter grasses and legumes). If your pH is low and needs adjusting, make sure to apply lime several months in advance as it takes time to change your soil’s chemistry.
Too small food plot size. Just like with grazing a cattle pasture, there is a finite amount of grazing pressure that food plots can support and many that I see are overgrazed. So, what can hunters do? If possible, the best solution is to enlarge small food plots to a minimum of ½ acre, preferably larger (1-5 acres). It’s not complicated – the plants we grow in winter wildlife food plots (small grains, ryegrass, clovers, etc.) are extremely palatable to deer and very nutritious. Combine that with greatly reduced native forage options in Panhandle winters, and a quality food plot will often draw large numbers of deer, in excess of what small food plots can bear. To be certain deer pressure is the issue and not poor growing practices, construct exclusionary cages for your food plots; these will allow you to see how your forages grow in the absence of grazing pressure. You might be surprised how good your grass looks with no deer on it and be motivated to increase food plot size accordingly.
Not harvesting enough deer. Even when hunters do all the above correctly, forage performance sometimes lags. This can be a strong indication that too many deer are using the food plot. Stocking rates for deer are difficult to determine because there are many variables involved (native vegetation in your area, hunting pressure around you, etc.). However, if exclusionary cages show quality forage growth, food plots are adequately large, and your forage still struggles, it is likely as simple as too many deer using the forage available. Harvesting only a buck or two a year and no does isn’t going to solve the problem either. In this situation, the solution is often as simple as taking advantage of Florida’s anterless deer harvest periods (doe weekends) to harvest some does, applying for antlerless deer permits if your property meets the qualifications for that program, and filling your freezer with more tasty, nutritious venison.
While there can be many causes for poor winter food plot performance, most hunters can improve their forage situation by simply soil testing and amending accordingly ahead of planting, enlarging food plots where possible, and harvesting a few more deer than they have previously. For more information about winter food plots and any other wildlife management topic, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. Happy Hunting!
Overcup on the edge of a wet weather pond in Calhoun County. Photo courtesy of Daniel Leonard.
Haunting alluvial river bottoms and creek beds across the Deep South, is a highly unusual oak species, Overcup Oak (Quercuslyrata). Unlike nearly any other oak, and most sane people, Overcups occur deep in alluvial swamps and spend most of their lives with their feet wet. Though the species hides out along water’s edge in secluded swamps, it has nevertheless been discovered by the horticultural industry and is becoming one of the favorite species of landscape designers and nurserymen around the South. The reasons for Overcup’s rise are numerous, let’s dive into them.
The same Overcup Oak thriving under inundation conditions 2 weeks after a heavy rain. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.
First, much of the deep South, especially in the Coastal Plain, is dominated by poorly drained flatwoods soils cut through by river systems and dotted with cypress and blackgum ponds. These conditions call for landscape plants that can handle hot, humid air, excess rainfall, and even periodic inundation (standing water). It stands to reason our best tree options for these areas, Sycamore, Bald Cypress, Red Maple, and others, occur naturally in swamps that mimic these conditions. Overcup Oak is one of these hardy species. It goes above and beyond being able to handle a squishy lawn, and is often found inundated for weeks at a time by more than 20’ of water during the spring floods our river systems experience. The species has even developed an interested adaptation to allow populations to thrive in flooded seasons. Their acorns, preferred food of many waterfowl, are almost totally covered by a buoyant acorn cap, allowing seeds to float downstream until they hit dry land, thus ensuring the species survives and spreads. While it will not survive perpetual inundation like Cypress and Blackgum, if you have a periodically damp area in your lawn where other species struggle, Overcup will shine.
Overcup Oak leaves in August. Note the characteristic “lyre” shape. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.
Overcup Oak is also an exceedingly attractive tree. In youth, the species is extremely uniform, with a straight, stout trunk and rounded “lollipop” canopy. This regular habit is maintained into adulthood, where it becomes a stately tree with a distinctly upturned branching habit, lending itself well to mowers and other traffic underneath without having to worry about hitting low-hanging branches. The large, lustrous green leaves are lyre-shaped if you use your imagination (hence the name, Quercuslyrata) and turn a not-unattractive yellowish brown in fall. Overcups especially shine in the winter when the whitish gray shaggy bark takes center stage. The bark is very reminiscent of White Oak or Shagbark Hickory and is exceedingly pretty relative to other landscape trees that can be successfully grown here.
Finally, Overcup Oak is among the easiest to grow landscape trees. We have already discussed its ability to tolerate wet soils and our blazing heat and humidity, but Overcups can also tolerate periodic drought, partial shade, and nearly any soil pH. They are long-lived trees and have no known serious pest or disease problems. They transplant easily from standard nursery containers or dug from a field (if it’s a larger specimen), making establishment in the landscape an easy task. In the establishment phase, defined as the first year or two after transplanting, young transplanted Overcups require only a weekly rain or irrigation event of around 1” (wetter areas may not require any supplemental irrigation) and bi-annual applications of a general purpose fertilizer, 10-10-10 or similar. After that, they are generally on their own without any help!
Typical shaggy bark on 7 year old Overcup Oak. Photo courtesy Daniel Leonard.
If you’ve been looking for an attractive, low-maintenance tree for a pond bank or just generally wet area in your lawn or property, Overcup Oak might be your answer. For more information on Overcup Oak, other landscape trees and native plants, give your local UF/IFAS County Extension office a call!
