"You get a line, I'll get a pole, we'll go down to the crawdad hole, honey, baby, mine"...there are lots of great zydeco songs singing the praises of crawfish (aka crayfish, crawdads, mudbugs). They are in season now, and while crawfish ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
In architecture, a “keystone” is the top, central block in an arch structure, the one that holds the entire building up. Without it, the bricks around it collapse. With it, there is nothing stronger. So, when you hear an animal referred ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
If you live in northwest Florida or southeast Alabama and have never laid eyes on our wild native carnivorous plants, it is about time! April and early May are the best time to see them in bloom. We have six species of pitcher plants (Sarracenia), ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
The first time I saw a white squirrel, I thought I had imagined it. Once I realized what I was seeing, it felt like it might bring good luck—similar to finding a four-leaf clover or seeing a shooting star. While it is a special and rare ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Several years ago, I taught a pesticide class to professional lawn care providers. The point of my presentation was to help class participants learn the difference between “good” beneficial insects and “bad” plant-destroying bugs. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
This week’s feature is a pretty little plant that most people have encountered in their yards or on roadsides. In cattle or hay pastures, it is considered a weed because cows won’t eat it, and its high moisture content can ruin hay harvests. ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Biking along the Blackwater Heritage Trail recently, my son pointed out an intimidating-looking flower and asked me about it. We pulled over and looked closely at the spiked leaves and bristles along the stems. Having experienced the unseen ... READ MORE
Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, Natural Resources
From a distance, native azaleas are easily mistaken for honeysuckle vines. With long, arching stamens, you might be tempted to relive your childhood, hoping to pull the pistil from the bottom and find a single drop of sweetness on the end. ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Horticulture
They named him “Lestat.” But unlike his bloodsucking namesake, the little Seminole bat clinging to the bricks of a campus building was purely interested in mama’s milk. Later on, he will develop a taste for insects, as his mother teaches ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife