Invasive Species Awareness Week: Insects?

The Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory Volunteer Nature Stewardship Program started to "celebrate" National Invasive Species Week a bit early on 2/16/2019 with a talk by Dr. Amanda Hodges, University of Florida Associate Extension Scientist & Doctor of Plant Medicine Program Director,…

Weeds of Wednesday: Good grass?

Woodsgrass (Oplismenus setarius) is a native grass that grows in the "woods".  It prefers shaded, moist places and thrives under the thick canopy of live oaks (Quercus virginiana) at the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area.  Some botanists refer to it as Oplismenus…

Weeds of Wednesday: Lovely Lantana ??

In 2012 Don Morris (Class of 2009) took this photo of a zebra longing butterfly that had come to nectar upon the lantana (Lantana strigocamara) that I had plucked -- to talk about this Evil Invader. That butterfly reminded me…

Completely Connected: Coontie & Atala Butterfly

Dr. Zak Gezon, Disney’s Butterfly Conservation Manager, gave a great talk at the fifth session of the 2018 Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (FMEL) Volunteer Nature Stewardship Class on 2/17/2018. Part of his talk focused on the awesome atala butterfly (Eumaeus…