Enjoy the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area
440 acres adjacent to the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University of Florida/IFAS
White crownbeard, crownbeard, Virginia crownbeard, frostweed, and angel wings (Verbesina virginica) are among the many common names ascribed to this striking herbaceous perennial that is found throughout the eastern U.S. The common name frostweed alludes to the dramatic icicles that…
Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) blooms throughout Florida in September and October. This opportunistic plant grows in flatwoods, marshes, and disturbed areas. When crushed, it soft green foliage emits a distinctive fragrance. This member of the daisy familly, Asteracae, is a nectar…
When the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory began its Volunteer Nature Stewardship Program for the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area (ORCA) in 1998, julia butterflies (Dryas iulia) did not range as far north as Indian River County. The first sighting at ORCA…
A weekend walk at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Centennial Trail brought disappointment. Large lantanas (Lantana strigocamara) still remained along the trail to the Tower overlooking Pelican Island and in what was the Butterfly Garden. Lantana is pretty…
