Even on the doorstep of autumn, panhandle Florida is associated with many outdoor activities. The brightly lit beaches still attract sunbathers and fishing enthusiasts, prompting the need for sunscreen and a wide variety of hydration options. Football is replacing baseball as another solar-soaked September pastime. Want-to-be gridiron experts, of all ages, spend their weekends and…Read more
Even today, there are mysteries and riddles which defy understanding. One of those endless enigmas is the common names of objects or tangible things, especially some plant species. Many plants have identifiers which accurately recognize their function as it relates to human contact. Two examples of locally common plants are purple nutsedge and sandspurs. Purple…Read more
The dog days of August have temperatures and rain which are supporting late summer flowering in both the landscapes and wild areas of panhandle Florida. Native wildflowers and many other late bloomers which surround homes and businesses are on full display. The wet summer conditions have also stimulated the insect population. They, as a general…Read more
Sometimes it is easiest to hide in plain sight of everyone and everything. Appear to be something else with little to no interest to anyone or anything which might happen to pass by and notice. This strategy is the basis for numerous disguises used as part of the camouflage tactic. Blend into the background and…Read more
The summer of 2022 has been ideal for wild plant life in panhandle Florida. As August progresses towards September and the “official start of autumn”, many native wildflowers are blooming. Some of these annuals are very showy with others being tiny and muted. All have the same purpose, production of seeds for the next year….Read more
Some panhandle residents may be searching for menu options at homes and landscapes across north Florida. The homeowners usually are unaware until after the meal has been eaten and the damage must be addressed. Such is the case with white-tailed deer, a native herbivore, which often strays into suburbia. Odocoileus virginianus osceolais is the…Read more
The dog days of summer have once again returned to north Florida, this year with a fierce vengeance. As such the dogs (and cats), along with their human companions, are highly motivated to remain in any synthetic environment with temperature control capable of producing a comfortable thermometer reading. In reality the history of the dog…Read more
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” wrote Charles Caleb Colton. Colton was a sometimes cleric, essayist, wine merchant and gambler who bounced around Europe and North America during the early 19th century. It is likely many of his financial lenders hoped the public would not imitate his borrowing practices. Aside from his few literary…Read more
The pools, puddles and temporary ponds left behind by 2022’s summer rains are receding daily, only to be momentarily refreshed by the next afternoon’s scattered showers. The fleeting surface water is already home to little creatures, and not just mosquitoes.Fairy shrimp are making appearances across panhandle Florida in places not normally associated with any species…Read more
Also written by Chris D. Renn and Les Harrison. The pine tree industry is a major contributor to Florida’s economy despite the loss of thousands of acres of trees due to recent hurricanes, notably Hurricane Michael in 2018. The pine industry provides trees for timber, pulpwood, pinestraw, pine rosin (turpentine), and provides land for conservation…Read more
