🎉 Celebrating 15 Years of LAKEWATCH Service 🎉
Gary Sexton marks 15 years as a dedicated volunteer on Lakes Center and Coon. His consistent monitoring and commitment continue to support the LAKEWATCH program. Thank you, Gary!
🌞 Sun Safety Tips for LAKEWATCH Volunteers
Florida summers are intense. Protect your skin on the water with broad‑spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen. Choose water‑resistant formulas, reapply every 2 hours, wear SPF lip balm, and apply 30 minutes before heading out. 🛡️🌊
Institutions using vertebrates for research must have an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee overseeing their treatment and welfare.
Programs like @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social also need an annual scientific collectors permit from @myfwc.bsky.social.
blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/ffgs/2026/06...
Eastern mosquitofish are the fish you notice in mucky ditches and pond edges when everything else has checked out. Fun fact: they can breathe at the surface using a modified swim bladder. Scrappy, weird, and hard to ignore.
From Ellen Swallow Richards to Florida LAKEWATCH, 140 years of water‑quality monitoring connects science and community. As LAKEWATCH turns 40, volunteer data keeps her legacy alive.
📖 new.express.adobe.com/webpage/RA0K...
📸 George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress.
🤎 Tricolored Heron
Feeding Fact: Tricolored Herons dash and pivot through shallow waters, chasing small fish and aquatic insects. Their fast, agile hunting sets them apart from other wading birds. 🐟🦗
📘 Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...
🔬 Ask the Expert: From Shore to Stream
What are microplastics and why should we care? Dr. Anna Braswell explains where they come from, how they move through Florida’s waters, and what’s being done to track and reduce them.
🔗 new.express.adobe.com/webpage/RA0K...
🌟 Dollar Sunfish Fun Fact 🌟
Dollar sunfish may be small, but they’re big on color. Their bright blues, greens, and oranges shine in shallow, plant‑filled waters where they feed on insects and small invertebrates. 🐟🌿
🔗 ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0...
💙 Thank you and farewell, Marina! 💙
As Marina Schwartz moves on to her next chapter, we thank her for an incredible impact on Florida LAKEWATCH. From volunteer support to modernizing our data systems, her work leaves a lasting legacy.
🔗 new.express.adobe.com/webpage/RA0K...
🤍 Snowy Egret
Feeding Fact: Snowy Egrets stalk shallow waters, using quick foot shuffles to stir up fish, insects, and crustaceans before striking with precision. This active feeding style makes them a joy to watch. 🐟🦐
📘 Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...
Video
By Regional LAKEWATCH Coordinator Mo Bennett Most readers are familiar with LAKEWATCH’s activities with water quality monitoring across the state. We lean heavily on our volunteers to make our reach a...
