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Updated Information Regarding Freshwater Turtle Die-Off

In an earlier entry, I described a turtle die-off that has been occurring among Florida freshwater turtles, particularly along the St. John’s River. I have updated information to share.

What do we know?

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reports that about 300 sick and dead turtles have been found in the past year. There are no external injuries or obvious signs of infection, and no toxins have been found, including those that could be caused by an algae bloom like red tide.

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Honeybees: Swarm Capture and Honey Harvest

A few weeks ago, we had the opportunity and blessing to capture a swarm of bees. My spousal unit (Pam) was tending to some plants in the front yard and heard bees buzzing – lots of bees. Looking around she noticed many bees flying about the tree in our front yard. She asked me to come take a look and sure enough there was a swarm of bees on a branch.

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Wildcat Lake, Ocala National Forest





Yesterday was the third Saturday of the month, and since my naturalist classes are done, I was finally able to paddle with GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies On the Water). GLOW is a group of friends who meet regularly to kayak, SUP, and otherwise enjoy the beautiful waters in our area. This day, we met early on an overcast morning at Wildcat Lake, located in the Big Scrub of the Ocala National Forest.





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What’s going on with Florida freshwater turtles?

Apalone ferox, Florida softshell turtle

We find them often in the pool: flat turtles with leathery shells, long necks and odd noses. Sometimes the shells have a subtle pattern that looks like dark stains left on a dark green tablecloth. . . maybe last year’s Thanksgiving gravy that never really came out in the laundry. Sometimes they are over a foot long, but once Steve rescued what must have been a young turtle, less than 6 inches from nose to tail. We put them in a large bucket and relocate them to Lake Eustis. If I were a turtle in need of rescue, I would want Steve to find me and put me in a lake because he wonders about turtles he has saved for long after I have forgotten them.

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Happy Birthday, Florida

Happy Birthday, Florida! Florida became the 27th state of the United States on March 3, 1845, and little of note happened until I moved here in 1978.

Of course, that’s utter nonsense. This state has an amazing history, and I encourage you to start learning more about it here. Invest some time in learning about our history. You’ll find it interesting, sometimes embarrassing, and frequently surprising.

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