Category: Wildlife

Bee Attractors: for the Best Pollinators!

by Maria Quirico
September 24, 2025

Central Florida wildflowers attract many pollinators, and the best are honeybees and native bees. So what plants should we add to our garden to bring bees into our backyard habitat? Here are a few things to consider. Bee Attractors ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Clubs & Volunteers, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Wildlife

Plants for your Florida Water Garden

by Maria Quirico
September 7, 2025

Central Floridians love constructing water features because Water Gardens add a touch of class to your home. We create ponds and container water gardens easily by visiting our local garden centers. Look for large tubs and preformed ponds with ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Clubs & Volunteers, Curriculum, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife

Create a Buggy Yard!

by Maria Quirico
August 4, 2025

Insect populations are on the decline. This is a serious problem because insects are a primary source of food for any ecosystem. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals rely on insects as a major part of their diet. There are TEN simple things ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife

Hummingbird Attractors: Acanthaceae

by Maria Quirico
July 11, 2025

A Florida-Friendly Favorite for Hummingbirds and Butterflies Acanths are Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) plants known for their long, tubular flowers rich in nectar, perfect for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. In fact, their ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife

Dahoon Holly Tree: A Festive Seasonal Beauty

by Maria Quirico
November 15, 2024

Dahoon Holly Tree: A Festive Seasonal Beauty When I spot a tree adorned with red berries, my curiosity piques. I wonder if the berries are as tasty as they appear. My artistic instincts come alive, imagining how the branches could be used in ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Horticulture, Wildlife

Managing House Geckos

by Jamie Daugherty
January 30, 2024

Introduction Among the ten species of geckos found in Florida, only one, the Florida Reef Gecko (Sphaerodactylus notatus), is native to the state, the additional ten non-native species found in the state having arrived in cargo or via the ... READ MORE

Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Tags: Gecko, House Gecko

Attracting Florida Butterflies

by Jamie Daugherty
January 30, 2024

Arguably the most popular insect in our landscape, Butterflies are beloved by all. Now everyone can easily start a Butterfly Garden to attract and raise butterflies … guaranteed! Here are two easy steps on How to Attract Butterflies and ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, UF/IFAS Extension, , Wildlife
Tags: Attract Wildlife, Butterflies, Butterfly Gardening

Sandhill Cranes: Living in Harmony with Your Natural Neighbors

by Meg Brew
November 14, 2022

“What are those!?”As a Florida native I take the regular presence of the sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) for granted, but my out of state visitor was quite shaken both by their size and by their shrill call. To be fair, at just under ... READ MORE

Category: , Wildlife
Tags: SandhillCranes

Batty for Bats

by Meg Brew
November 23, 2021

Contrary to popular opinion, bats are not winged mice; in fact, they aren’t rodents at all but members of the taxonomic order Chiroptera (meaning hand-wing). Bats are unique in that they are the only mammals capable of flight. There are thirteen ... READ MORE

Category: Wildlife

Getting to Know Our Local Venomous Snakes, From a Safe Distance

by Meg Brew
November 23, 2021

Hiking is one of my very favorite ways to spend my leisure time. Between the Ocala National Forest, the Seminole State Forest, several State parks, an abundance of wildlife management areas, and a beautiful variety of local parks, I am fairly ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Tags: Snakes

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