The pristine salt marshes of Big Lagoon State Park are perfect for exploring by kayak. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
My favorite place in Escambia County is a waterlogged stretch of the coast near Perdido Key. Known formally as Big Lagoon State Park, the over 700-acre property has hiking, biking, and paddling…
Written by Samantha Walter-Cano, Edited by Olivia Zugay
Did you know July 31st is National Avocado Day? In honor of this delicious fruit, let’s learn what makes them special. While you’re at it, make yourself some guacamole or avocado toast to celebrate!
Florida Avocados
Haas avocado
Did you know an avocado is technically a berry? Avocados…
Apis florea, small and mighty honey bee. Credit: Ian Joseph, Flickr.com, Creative Commons.
Introduction
Have you ever wondered how many honey bees are found in the world? Most people are familiar with what a honey bee looks like. A floating yellow and black fuzzball doing the all-important work of pollination. However, you might be surprised…
Recap of July First Friday with Florida First Detector
In July’s First Friday with Florida First Detector, we talked about invasive caterpillars that feed on vegetable crops. Florida’s agriculture industry is home to a wide variety of high value vegetable production. The state is a top producer in the U.S. of tomatoes, bell peppers, cabbage…
I just love summer fruits. Fresh berries and cherries are the best. Summertime in America is when most of our berries are ripe and ready for picking.
What can you do with so many berries?
My favorite ways to preserve delicate summer fruit is by freezing them or canning berry jam. I like to preserve as…
A new NIFA-funded project will examine pollen formation and viability in corn when heat stress is introduced during the different developmental stages.
The research aims to identify genetic resiliency markers that may inform future corn-breeding efforts.
People aren’t the only ones stressed by heat waves. For many plants, higher-than-anticipated temperatures can lead to water…
In the diving world there are basically three forms of diving: free diving, compressed air diving, and 1-Atmosphere diving. After the recent accident with the OceanGate Titian we thought we would give some basics as to how this form of diving works. Let’s look at all three. Free Diving Free diving is just that… free of…
n this episode we explore some sounds of summer…grasshoppers, crickets, cicadas and more! How do they make calls? Why are they so loud? Are they really going to to take over the world every 17 years? Find out this and more in our latest episode of “Naturally Florida”. New Episode from Naturally Florida Naturally Florida (a…
Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month Tall Elephantsfoot Elephantopus elatus Look for tall elephantsfoot in Florida flatwoods, sandhills, upland mixed woodlands, ruderal areas, and wet prairies. The small flowers can be purple, pinkish, or even shades of white. Blooms appear in summer and persist through fall, attracting a variety of pollinators. Although elephantsfoot…
Pests are not only annoying, but they can also pose serious health and safety risks for you and your family. That’s why it’s important to have regular pest control services from a reliable and professional company like Extra Mile Pest Control. In this post, we’ll share some of the benefits of regular pest control and…