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Category: Natural Resources

A jar of opened peanut butter with a metal spoon inside. Peanuts in shells are scattered throughout background.

UF/IFAS Extension Polk County’s Annual Peanut Butter Challenge

by Jasi Romero
November 6, 2024

Join the Peanut Butter Challenge: Spread the Love! Get ready to go nuts for a great cause! The Peanut Butter Challenge is back and and it’s more exciting than ever! Hosted by UF/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University (FAMU) Cooperative ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Events, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, , Work & Life
Tags: Charity, Donate, Featured, Florida Peanut Federation, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Food Banks, Food Pantries, PBChallenge, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Challenge, Polk County, PolkExtension, Spread The Love, Spread The Peanut Butter

Florida’s Carnivorous Plants, a spooky new episode from Naturally Florida!

by Shannon Carnevale and Lara MilliganAvatar photo
October 22, 2024

In this episode, we’re diving into one of the state’s most fascinating plant groups: carnivorous plants. These spooky species have adapted to capture prey in some of Florida’s most nutrient-poor environments. We’ll talk about how they ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Carnivorous Plants, Naturally Florida Podcast, Podcast, Spooky Season

Florida Farm Pests: Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA)

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado and Jonael BosquesAvatar photo
September 30, 2024

They are strong and aggressive. When they attack, they bite and they sting you. These guys invade our homes, and take over our farms and landscapes, and they do this without us even noticing: they are Red Imported Fire ants.   What ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Fire Ants, Florida Farms, Florida_Pests, Hardee County, Pests, Pest_control, Polk County, Polksmallfarms, Red_imported_fire_ants, Small Farms, UF/IFAS

Plagas de las Fincas de Florida: Hormigas Rojas de Fuego Importadas (“Red Imported Fire Ants” [RIFA])

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado and Jonael BosquesAvatar photo
September 30, 2024

Son fuertes y agresivas. Cuando atacan, muerden y te pican. Estos individuos invaden nuestros hogares y se apoderan de nuestras granjas y jardines, y lo hacen sin que nos demos cuenta: son las hormigas rojas de fuego importadas.   ¿Qué ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: En Espanol, Espanol, Florida Farms, Florida Pests, Hardee County, Hormigas De Fuego, Pests, Pest_control, Polk County, Polksmallfarms, Red_imported_fire_ants, Small Farms, UF/IFAS

Using Sandbags for Flood Protection During Tropical Weather

by Shannon Carnevale
September 24, 2024

As we prepare for incoming tropical weather, protecting your home from floodwaters becomes a top priority, especially for those living in flood-prone areas. Using sandbags for flood protection is a commonly used and cost-effective method to ... READ MORE

Category: Disaster Preparation, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Disaster, Disaster Preparation, Helene, Hurricane, Hurricane Preparation, Preparedness, Storms
Bee resting on top of cluster of small yellow flowers

New Episode from Naturally Florida, “The Pollinator Puzzle: Who They Are & How To Help”

by Lara Milligan and Shannon Carnevalelara milligan
September 17, 2024

Pollinators are the unsung heroes of Florida’s ecosystems, supporting the reproduction of our flowering plants in urban, suburban and natural areas. Pollinator populations are declining, and organizations are urging people to take action ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources
Tags: Naturally Florida Podcast, Pollinator, Pollinator Gardens, Pollinators

New Episode from Naturally Florida: “I want to know, have you ever smelled the rain?”

by Lara Milligan and Shannon Carnevalelara milligan
September 10, 2024

If the title of this episode sounds familiar, you must be a Creedance Clearwater Revival (CCR) fan like Shannon is! Well, CCR might have actually been singing about seeing the rain but on today's episode of Naturally Florida, we're talking ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources
Tags: Naturally Florida Podcast, Petrichor, Rain, Smell, The Smell Of Rain

New Episode from Naturally Florida: “Pentastomes in Paradise: Invasive Parasite Plaguing Florida’s Snakes”

by Lara Milligan and Shannon Carnevalelara milligan
September 10, 2024

Snakes play a critical role in our ecosystems, keeping rodent populations in check and supplying birds of prey with an excellent food source. But our snakes are facing a new threat, an invasive parasite, Raillietiella orientalis from Asia ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources
Tags: Invasive Parasite, Invasive Species, Naturally Florida Podcast, Parasite, Pentastomes, SLAM, Snake Lungworm

Atala Butterflies and Coontie Cycads: Signs of Damage and How to Protect the Butterflies

by Anne Yasalonis
September 10, 2024

There have been Atala butterflies sightings in and around Polk County, and while there is much information on the butterfly and its history of near extinction, it is important for homeowners and landscape managers to be on the lookout when ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Home Landscapes, Wildlife
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Atala, Atala Butterfly, Ayasalonis, Butterflies, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Flowers, Gardening, Jschelb, Polkgardening, Polkmg, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Wildlife

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