The marsh rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit with short, rounded ears, and small feet. It is similar in appearance to the more familiar eastern cottontail rabbit but without the white color of their tail. The marsh rabbit is found in the southeastern United States from southeast Virginia (in the Dismal Swamp), along the east coast to eastern Alabama, and the Florida peninsula and the islands along the coast of Florida. There is a subspecies of the marsh rabbit, which is endangered and only found...

In this episode, we explore the mosquitoes of Florida, covering everything from mosquito biology, types of mosquitoes, mosquito surveillance and control, and ways you can yourself from these important, but sometimes pesky insects. Learn More: UF/IFAS Document about mosquito repellents (Table of effectiveness at end): https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN419 Mosquitoes & Their Control: Integrated Pest Management for Mosquito Reduction Around Homes and Neighborhoods -...

In this episode, we explore the mosquitoes of Florida, covering everything from mosquito biology, types of mosquitoes, mosquito surveillance and control, and ways you can yourself from these important, but sometimes pesky insects. Learn More: UF/IFAS Document about mosquito repellents (Table of effectiveness at end): https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN419 Mosquitoes & Their Control: Integrated Pest Management for Mosquito Reduction Around Homes and Neighborhoods -...

Today's episode is all about Florida's pink birds, including the iconic roseate spoonbill and American flamingo. Learn More: Read the NPR article we discussed about Hurricane Idalia and Flamingo sightings. View iNaturalist observations of Flamingos since 2020 How to Help: Don't feed water birds: Read why, here. Respect wildlife - view from a distance! Watch a short video about 'Rule of Thumb' for wildlife viewing, here. Submit your observations to iNaturalist. Sources: ...

In this episode, we explore the two species of skunks found in Florida. A mammal that is so unique, it recently divided from a subfamily of the weasel to become its own family, a stinky one! There is a lot to learn about these mysterious creatures. We will explore the species of life history of Florida’s skunks, where you can find them, some fun skunk behavior and more! ⁠ Learn More:  Eastern Spotted Skunk Conservation Plan - Microsoft Word - ESS Conservation Plan July82019...

How do you feel about snakes? Not a fan? Well, while we believe snakes are friends, not foes, we recognize it may be comforting to know that the vast majority of snakes in Florida are non-venomous and largely cannot hurt you or your family. On today's episode, we go on a deep dive about Florida's venomous snakes. Learn more: Read about identifying the water moccasin and the banded water snake (non-venomous) OR watch this video Need a refresher on 3 common snakes in residential areas?...

Manatees are Florida’s gentle giants and are a sight to behold. They are state and federally protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 according to FWC. These gentle giants are Florida’s true natives, and we need to be respectful of these creatures when entering water ways. The goal is to actively co-exist with Florida wildlife. To properly do this we must first learn where we can find...

Florida black bears have been in the news, frequently, this year! On today's episode, we chat about the Florida black bear's diet, behavior, and biology, and provide some tips for co-existing with our resident bears. Learn More: Living with the Florida black bear - https://www.myfwc.com/bear⁠ Where are the large bear populations? - https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/bear/bear-management-units/ How You Can Help: Limit attractants in your yard and protect bears from...

THANK YOU to all of our loyal listeners! Has this podcast made a difference in your life? The survey is now closed, but we look forward to hearing from you again next fall! If you have comments or topics for next season, submit them at ⁠www.naturallyfloridapodcast.com⁠ If you live in Florida, chances are you have heard or read about “harmful algal blooms" commonly referred to as HABs. We have received many requests for an episode on this topic, so…here it is! What are algae? What is a...

THANK YOU to all of our loyal listeners! Has this podcast made a difference in your life? The survey is now closed, but we look forward to hearing from you again next fall! If you have comments or topics for next season, submit them at www.naturallyfloridapodcast.com Although fireworks are a staple for celebrations around the world, the explosives almost always contain pollutants like heavy metals, perchlorates, and aerosols, which harm air and water quality. The noise and flashes can...

In this episode, we continue our exploration of the sounds of summer. This episode’s focus is all about commonly heard frogs in Florida. We have 33 species of frog in the state. More often heard than seen, this episode features six frog species, including some basic physical and audio identification information, habitats, what you can do to help, and more! Learn More: Florida’s Frogs –  https://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/frogs/florida.shtml Frogs & Toads of...

The creepiest, crawliest, grossest of arachnids, in our opinion, are ticks. And no, we don't feel bad calling them gross! Tick-borne illnesses can wreak havoc on people's lives and there is still so much we don't know about them. On today's episode, learn what we DO know about ticks in Florida, the diseases they may carry, and what to do to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from ticks. Learn More:   Florida-specific tick information:...

What comes to mind when you think of summer? Hot. Beaches. No school. What about singing insects? No? Perhaps not, but we’re sure you’ve heard the sounds of summer. Nobody sounds the alarm for summer weather like our native cicadas. Find out about them and more in today’s episode.   Learn more:  Common Grasshoppers in Florida -  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN010   Cicadas of Florida - ⁠https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/bugs/cicadas.htm  Singing Insects of North...

On today’s episode, you’ll learn about three non-venomous snake species common to residential areas in Florida. Slithering into a neighborhood near you, these common snake species are found all over Florida. Learn More: Red Cornsnake: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-snake-id/snake/red-cornsnake/ Black Racer: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-snake-id/snake/north-american-racer/ Ring-necked Snake:...

We have all probably interacted with pine cones in some way, whether we collected them to start a bon fire, rolled them in peanut butter to create a bird feeder, or avoided them during pollen season. Pine trees produce pine cones, a unique seed with a fascinating science and ecological importance for Florida’s ecosystems. Learn more: Common Pines of Florida - https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FR003 Fun facts about pine cones - www.canr.msu.edu/news/fun_facts_about_pine_cones How...

When people think of Florida and visiting the sights, what do they think of? For most people, it’s some combination of alligators, flamingos, manatees, and sea turtles with a sprinkling of Disney World, Kennedy Space Center, and the beaches. This episode explores the truth about iconic Florida. Learn more: American Flamingo - https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/birds/waterbirds/american-flamingo All About Manatees- ...

You’ve probably heard that habitat destruction is a common cause of population declines for many wildlife species. It’s critical for us to do what we can in our yards, neighborhoods and communities to help support wildlife by providing food, water, shelter and space. In this episode, we discuss ten tips you can consider implementing where you have influence. Learn more: Planting a Refuge for Wildlife (book)- wildlifeflorida.com/product/planting-a-refuge-for-wildlife/ Helping...

People don’t often think of Florida when they think of winter, but there is actually a lot that happens in the natural world. There are migrations happening, leaves falling, and much more! In this episode, we will explore the exciting world of winter in Florida. Learn more: Science of Fall Colors - Science of Fall Colors | US Forest Service (usda.gov) Wildlife Happenings - UFlorida Wildlife Extension at UF/IFAS (ufl.edu) Do Black Bears Hibernate? -...

Welcome to Naturally Florida, a podcast about Florida's natural areas and the wild things that live here.  Submit comments and topic suggestions to our website, www.naturallyfloridapodcast.com This podcast is brought to you by UF/IFAS Extension, an Equal Opportunity Institution.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/naturallyflorida/message

In this episode of Naturally Florida, Shannon answers a few Listener questions! She'll tackle a light-hearted Florida Christmas classic, "Why do iguanas fall out of trees when it gets cold?" as well as shed some light about "good or bad" species like queen palms and Carolina laurel cherry, and finally, wrap up with a South Florida conundrum, "What can be done about a nuisance peacock?" If YOU have a question for Shannon and Lara, you can leave it...

The gopher tortoise is not only a keystone species, but also an endemic species, making it special and important to the overall function of the ecosystems where it is found. In this episode we will explore the life of the gopher tortoise including some basic identification information, population status, biology, and things you can to do help populations in Florida.  Learn more: Watch our webinar - https://youtu.be/1QhwxOb0Cb4  Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Gopher...

Hey, Naturally Florida Listeners!  As Extension agents, we need to report on our effort and impact over the year and we would LOVE to include some input from you!  Please access our evaluation here: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEf5YoxkFv87GIu  This survey is a formal research study, approved by the University of Florida's Institutional Review Board. As a participant, you will need to complete an informed consent. You can skip any question you prefer not to answer and may stop...

Hey, Naturally Florida Listeners!  As Extension agents, we need to report on our effort and impact over the year and we would LOVE to include some input from you!  Please access our evaluation here: https://ufl.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bEf5YoxkFv87GIu This survey is a formal research study, approved by the University of Florida's Institutional Review Board. As a participant, you will need to complete an informed consent. You can skip any question you prefer not to answer and may stop...

In our last episode, we discussed how rodenticides, also known as rat poisons, can have a negative impact on our birds of prey. Today, we’ll be talking about Florida’s five resident owl species and how to identify them by the calls they make. These owls are valuable predators in our local ecosystems, both rural and urban, and can be easily identified with just a little practice. Learn more: Watch our webinar: https://youtu.be/XhTFTNucDcw Commonly Confused Owls in Florida:...