UF/IFAS
Extension Indian River County

Category: Wildlife

Live Oaks draped in Spanish moss and resurrection fern. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones

Spring Pest of the Week- Spring Cankerworm


March 22, 2024

Indian River County, Florida, recently had an “Inchworm” infestation. In one 4-day period, UF/IFAS Extension Indian River County had 10 residents contact the county Cooperative Extension office concerned about the same problem.  That problem ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Tags: Banding Strips, Forest Pests, Green Caterpillars, Green Worms, Homemade Insect Traps, Live Oak Defoliation, Oak Tree Pests, Spring Cankerworm, Wingless Moth
3 honeybees hovering around a piece of honeycomb dripping with fresh honey

Florida-Friendly Landscape Management for Honeybee Conservation


September 7, 2022

We are increasingly aware of the plight of honeybees in our environment. Individual homeowners can aid honeybees and other pollinators by adjusting a few landscaping practices. Plant selection, insect pest management, and general mindfulness ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Teaching, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Attracting Pollinators, Bees, Honeybee Conservation, Honeybees, National Honeybee Day, Pollinators, Protecting Honeybees
Wind & Sabal palmetto in advance of a storm

Florida Palm Trees and Pruning


October 26, 2021

Iconic Florida When folks throughout the world think of Florida, they usually think of alligators, sunshine, palm trees, and hurricanes. Most long-time Florida residents know what to expect concerning each of these things. The Bad "Haircut" In ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Management, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Correct Palm Pruning, Hurricane Cut, Palm Fronds, Palm Pruning, Photosynthesis, Pruning Sabal Palmetto, Wind Mitigation With Palms
Early morning dew drops caught on a spiders web and dragonfly's wings

Arachnophobia and Florida Residents


October 1, 2021

The Other Florida Residents Generally, Florida residents are pretty hardy souls. For instance, early settlers required a healthy fear of bears. Florida Black Bears lived throughout the state at that time and were of great concern for anyone ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: #wildlife, Arachnids, Creepy Things, Desensitization Exercises, EDIS, Florida Spiders, Huntsman, Nocturnal Hunters, Phobias, Spiderlings
Bat houses at the Spring Festival.

Bats- Scary or Awesome?


October 27, 2020

Note: All images were taken before 2020 as masks were not required before spring of this year. The blood-sucking vampire bat stereotype of movie lore is not so scary in real life. In fact, the vampire bat does not even live in Florida. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Bats Are Beneficial, Beneficial Wildlife, EDIS Bats, Florida Ecosystems, Florida Native Bats, Flying Mammals, Guano, Insect Pest Management: Bats, Nocturnal Hunters, UF Bat House
a bee visiting a flower

Helping Pollinators Spring Into Action


May 6, 2020

If you are anything like me, you might already have a few plants that provide for pollinators. Last year, when I started to renovate my landscape, I knew I wanted to plant various spaces to welcome pollinators and help them find food sources ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Bees, Butterflies, Butterfly Puddling, FFL, Firefush, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Gaillardia, Landscape Renovation, Milkweed, Monarchs, Native Plants, Plumbago, Pollinators, Zinnias

Tunicates (aka Sea Squirts)


May 12, 2014

Holly Abeels, Florida Sea Grant Extension Agent Tunicates are found throughout the Indian River Lagoon growing attached to mangrove roots, pilings, oyster reefs, and any hard substance they can find every spring and into the summer. They ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, NATURAL RESOURCES, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Brevard County, Environment, Florida Sea Grant, Indian River Lagoon, Oceans, Sea Squirt, Tunicates, Water

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