Ticks:  A Health Risk for Livestock and their Owners

Ticks: A Health Risk for Livestock and their Owners

  Most people can probably tell you that ticks carry Lyme disease. This bacterial disease can cause long-term health problems for humans if left untreated, but it is thankfully relatively rare to find in Florida (132 confirmed cases in 2016). Though Lyme disease...
Dry Weather has not deterred the Dragons among Us

Dry Weather has not deterred the Dragons among Us

During a pond visit to the dry northern part of Escambia County, something caught my eye floating along the margins of the pond. There, on the shore, perched on a blade of grass, was an empty dragonfly exoskeleton and a newly emerged adult dragonfly (see image...
Managing Dung Beetles to Enhance Cattle Production

Managing Dung Beetles to Enhance Cattle Production

Authors: Derrick Conover, and Xavier Martini, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center Throughout the world, dung beetles are important beneficial insects to cattle pasture ecosystems, as they support the processing and removal of livestock waste. With...
Alternative Rose Options for Florida Nurseries

Alternative Rose Options for Florida Nurseries

Today in the nursery trade, when you think of roses, your mind inevitably turns to the ‘Knockout’ rose and its offspring. That’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with ‘Knockout’ roses, it makes a great ornamental landscape plant, and it’s easy to propagate. With all the...