From local garden enthusiasts to aficionados in Facebook groups, the topic of seed saving has an air of sacred duty. Individuals engage the ritualistic seed harvest from the crops they grew or purchased, picking through mounds of wet plant goo, smearing seeds on paper towels, and carefully curating them in well-marked recycled jars. Here in Gainesville, FL…
Introduction The term ‘skeletonizers’ is…
Ghost plant in bloom at Naval Live Oaks reservation in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Photo credit: Shelley W. JohnsonThis time of year is surrounded with creepiness—October is full of haunted houses, scary costumes, and spooky music. Halloween and the Day of the Dead are, at their essence, times when we reflect on the relationship between life…
In both temperate and tropical climates in the Western hemisphere of the world, fall marks a time of transition. Rainy season to dry season, or summer through winter, the natural world around us changes. As oak trees grow heavy with their acorn crops, the wildlife that depend upon them to get through the next season…
Nutrition labels are very valuable because what you eat and put into your body is important. People need to be informed and control what they eat for both meals and snacks. One of the best ways to do this is to read food labels. MyPlate is also a great tool created to help us eat…
Parts of Brazil experience similar hot weather conditions to Florida’s and thus ranchers there face similar problems with effects of heat stress on cattle. Dr. Cassio Cassal Brauner, an animal science professor in Brazil, currently spending a year in Ona working with Dr. Philipe Moriel as an exchange visitor, research scholar, was our guest presenter…
Proper planting ensures a good start to a healthy landscape. The following guidelines for installing plants apply for sandy, well-drained soils. Annuals and Perennials Annuals and perennials are typically small (4”) to one gallon sized pots and last at least one season. Examine plants prior to purchasing. Check for signs of disease or insects.…
Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month Evening Primrose Oenothera biennis This upright biennial is interesting because it’s flowers open at night rather than during the day like most flowers. The common name originates due to the flower opening style, opening in the evening and closing the following morning when hit by the…
A Silk Floss tree blooming in North Venice this week.The autumn blooms of a flowering tree have been capturing the attention of many in Sarasota County. Amidst a backdrop of landscapes transitioning into shades of brown with the current drought, these trees stand out, adorned with an abundance of white and pink flowers. But what exactly…
Deep in the heart of the University of Florida’s campus rests one of its oldest buildings. Built as a mule barn, converted into a print shop and then transformed into offices, this UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences building has seen ages of people come and go over its 100 years. But what if one…
Welcome back to this two-part blog series, where we are demystifying the remarkable world of bats! So far, we have covered the batty basics of the order Chiroptera, to which bats belong. If you have not yet read part one of this series, check it out here.
Florida’s Fabulous Flying Mammals
In Florida, we have…
Photo credit: Nenad Milosevic from Unsplash.
Bats: Shrouded in Mystery and Fear
As human beings, we have had a close relationship with the natural world since the beginning of our species’ journey on this planet. Throughout the centuries, as cultures around the world developed, the animals and plants in our environments were…
