The summer of 2025 has been a good season for the insect population. There has been plenty to eat and the region has provided an exceptionally hospitable environment for these six- legged residents. It is difficult to step outside without encountering one of these creatures which walks, crawls or flies. Insects buzzing in the air…Read more
Looks, as the old saying goes, can be deceiving. It is a cautionary pronouncement from experience, usually painful and/or expensive, to serve as a warning to those who follow and hopefully avoid similar complications if the advice is heeded. In most situations a threat in nature can be clearly identified and sidestepped with a little…Read more
As a general rule, pruning is best done on small growth, except for the purpose of plant restoration. Mutilating a tree, such as Crepe Myrtle, by destructive removal of large limbs will produce a lot of new growth. Crepe Myrtles flower on new wood, so yes you will get a lot of flowering, but it…Read more
The recent heat dome has made the news as a major cause of distress to residents of panhandle Florida and far beyond. Air conditioning has made this troublesome weather tolerable, at least until the power bill arrives. Of course, Florida has long been a haven for sun worshipers, those members of the leisure class who…Read more
One of the most visible signs of our local “Southern Ecology” is Spanish Moss. It has been eulogized in poetry, novels and song for centuries. It is closely associated with our mental images of the traditional “Southern Culture” from the days of the great plantations to the present. One of the most common questions asked…Read more
As the summer heat settles in and roads to the beach become congested, one of the last things on anyone’s mind is deer season. Even so, many hunt clubs and land managers are actively assessing the effectiveness of their efforts for attracting, nourishing and retaining whitetail deer. A wide variety of annual crops have been…Read more
Too many serious injuries and deaths annually are caused by inexperienced persons trying to do their own tree pruning. In most cases, the individual was trying to work off the ground on a ladder or was climbing into a large mature tree. The other injuries were usually due to the improper use of tools and…Read more
The pace of life and the unending supply of distractions in 2025 keep most residents’ thoughts occupied with too many diversions. As such, one hardly has time to notice an overlooked absence from the environment at large and the roadway specifically. The Lovebug (Plecia nearctica) population is not leaving its mark, especially on vehicles, this…Read more
Homeowners are generally unaware of many of the various circumstances that can make their trees hazardous. If time is taken to look, most people can see obvious structural problems as major decay in the main trunk of a tree. Still, the vast majority of problems leading to structural failure are not easily recognizable to the…Read more
Nothing on four feet is identified with Florida as much as the alligator. The toothy grin is found on post cards, T-shirts, and a nearly unending list of tourist promotional items which invite visitors to come to the sunshine state and leave their money. Florida has two native species of crocodilians, the American alligator (Alligator…Read more
