Category: Wildlife
Commonly Confused Owls in Florida
November 6, 2019
Florida is home to five resident owl species (resident = species here year-round) which are fairly easy to identify, and one migratory species (short-eared owl, not discussed here). If they are easy to identify ... why the Commonly Confused ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, WildlifeTags: Commonly Confused, Living With Wildlife, Shannon Carnevale, Wildlife
Beyond the Air We Breathe: Supporting Ecosystem Services
November 1, 2019
Ecosystem Services Our environment provides numerous benefits that are vital to our health and economic livelihood. These environmental benefits are called ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are classified into four major categories: regulating, ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, WildlifeTags: Beyond The Air We Breathe, Conservation, Cultural, Ecosystem Services, Environment, FFL, Florida Friendly, Florida-Friendly Landscapes, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Freshwater, Future, Landscape, Provisional, Regulating, Supporting, Water
Flying insects that want to suck your blood-Halloween Edition Part 1
October 31, 2019
Of the one million identified insect species worldwide, less than 1% are considered true pests. Those pest insects are either harmful to us, to our food crops, or to our homes. They can also cause aesthetic damage. To break it down further, ... READ MORE
Category: Health & Nutrition, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, Water, WildlifeTags: Environment, Extension, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Insect, Insects, Land Insects, Landscape Insects, Mosquito, Mosquitoes, Nature, Pgm_Chemicals
What’s going on along Cedar Key’s shorelines?
October 24, 2019
Coastal change is obvious along Cedar Key's shorelines. One of the most noticeable changes is rapid erosion along the shorelines of Daughtry Bayou. Erosion is a natural process in coastal ecosystems but becomes an issue when it threatens homes ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water, WildlifeTags: Applied Research, Cedar Key, Coastal Habitat, Coastal Systems, Fisheries, InsideNatureCoast, Living Shoreline, Marsh, Oysters, Restoration, Shoreline Restoration
How do I attract the “good bugs?”
October 16, 2019
The nine principles of Florida-Friendly Landscaping* are designed to help: Save water Support wildlife Reduce guesswork Improve water quality Make YOUR ideal landscape a reality! *(Need a refresher on the 9 FFL ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, WildlifeTags: Beneficial Insects, Caterpillars, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Insects, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, Landscape, Landscaping, Pest Management, Pests, Right Place, Right Plant
A fish out of water!
October 15, 2019
Marine and freshwater fish support important angling industries that provide substantial benefit to local economies. Although catch and release - both voluntary and mandatory - aims to conserve fish stocks, its effectiveness is dependent on ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, WildlifeTags: Air Exposure, Catch And Release, Conservation, Fish, Florida Sea Grant
Weightless in the Water
October 15, 2019
Being neutrally buoyant, or weightless in the water, allows fish to minimize the energy expenditure required to stay at a particular depth to feed, hide, reproduce or migrate. For a fish to be buoyant, it must displace an equal or greater amount ... READ MORE
Category: Coasts & Marine, Natural Resources, WildlifeTags: Fish, Florida Sea Grant, Swim Bladder
Creating a Backyard Habitat for Birds
October 11, 2019
Are you interested in attracting more birds to your backyard? Read on to learn ways to create a backyard habitat that birds will love! All animals need an environment that meets their needs for survival. Take us humans, for instance. Even ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, WildlifeTags: Backyard, Birding, Birds, Habitat, Landscape, Native Plants
Prepping our next horseshoe crab citizen science effort
October 9, 2019
Enthusiasm is high for citizen science projects in our area, as we've seen with the success of our Sarasota County Horseshoe Crab Watch Program. Participants eagerly have waded in (sometimes literally) on efforts to gather more information ... READ MORE
Category: Community Volunteers, Conservation, Natural Resources, WildlifeTags: Citizen Science, Conservation, Florida Sea Grant, FWC, Horseshoe Crab, Marine, Pgm_Marine, Volunteer