📍 Find Your Nearest Collection Center Dropping off samples is easier than ever! Use our interactive map to locate centers, get contact info, and find freezers for sample drop-off and supply restocking. ✅ Explore now: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/for-voluntee...

🎉 Honoring Yvonne Stoker for 30 years with Florida LAKEWATCH! She monitors Lake James in Hillsborough County. A plaque celebrates her service at UF Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 💙🌊

🪶 Great Egret Feeding Fact: Great Egrets use a “stand-and-wait” strategy, staying motionless in shallow water until the perfect moment to spear fish with their sharp bill. 🐟🌿 📘 Learn more about Florida’s aquatic birds: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

Volunteers are the heart of Florida LAKEWATCH! Our updated Volunteer Resources page makes it easy to find training guides, videos, field sheets, safety info, and coordinator contacts. ✅ Explore now: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/for-voluntee...

🚨 Our New Website is Live! 🚨 The Florida LAKEWATCH site has a fresh design, easier navigation, and new tools for volunteers. Check our the NEW interactive Data Dashboard! ✅ Explore now: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu

🐟 White Catfish have white bellies and tolerate a wide range of conditions, often found in slow or still waters. 🌊 Curious about Florida’s lake fish? Explore the Handbook of Common Freshwater Fish: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0...

😬 Nuisance = native species that cause management issues or property damage. In Florida, cattails can clog waterways and limit recreation when nutrient-rich runoff helps them spread. Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

📣 Congrats to Greg Smith! At the Pasco County meeting, Greg received his 15-Year Volunteer Paddle after monitoring Lake Jovita for 25 years. Thank you, Greg, for your dedication and the invaluable data you’ve contributed! 💙

🎉 Happy Holidays, LAKEWATCH Volunteers! Thank you for monitoring Florida’s waters and making a real difference. Wishing you joy, warmth, and a New Year full of success. We’re grateful to have you as part of the LAKEWATCH family! 💙

🪶 Great Blue Heron Feeding Fact: Great Blue Herons stand still for long periods before striking quickly to catch fish and frogs. 🐟⚡ 📘 Learn more about Florida’s aquatic birds: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🔥 Invasive species meet 3 conditions: non-native, introduced by humans, and cause harm. In Florida, Cuban bulrush outcompetes natives and disrupts ecosystems. Early detection is key! Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

📣 Cheers to Tom and Peggy Prevost! For nearly 35 years, they’ve monitored Santa Fe Lakes, providing invaluable data. They received their 30-Year Plaque, with a matching plaque at UF Fisheries to honor their impact. Thank you for your decades of service!

Hey, @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social is hiring a Data Management Analyst! Join one of the nation’s largest volunteer science programs and help steward 30+ years of water quality data on thousands of Florida's lakes, rivers, springs, and estuaries. Apply by 1/8: explore.jobs.ufl.edu/.../data-man...

🌟 Warmouth have large mouths and thrive in many freshwater habitats, often in slow or still waters with vegetation. 🌿 Curious about Florida’s lake fish? Explore the Handbook of Common Freshwater Fish: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0...

✅ Introduced = species brought to an area by humans. 🌍 Established = species with a self-sustaining population. In Florida, giant salvinia is introduced but not established. Early detection matters! Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

Double-crested Cormorant 🪶 Feeding Fact: These skilled divers chase fish underwater, using their webbed feet for propulsion. 🐟🌊 📘 Learn more about Florida’s aquatic birds: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🎧 LAKEWATCH 2025 Wrapped You brought the beats, we brought the data! ✅ Top County: Hillsborough ✅ Samples: 61,607 ✅ Volunteer MVPs: YOU! ✅ Most Tested: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Chlorophyll Thanks for an amazing year. Let’s make 2026 even better! 💙

🚫 Non-native species do not occur naturally in an area. In Florida, Hydrilla verticallata is a prime example. It grows fast, forms dense mats, and crowds out natives, making boating and fishing tough. Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🌍 Happy International Volunteer Day! Thank you Florida LAKEWATCH volunteers for saving the state $5M in monitoring costs and providing vital long-term data. We couldn’t do this without you! Learn more or get involved: lakewatch.ifas.ufl.edu/for-voluntee...

🌱 Native species occur naturally in an area. In Florida, American eelgrass provides food and shelter for wildlife and keeps ecosystems balanced. When natives decline, systems strain. What native plants or animals have you seen? Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🐟 Threadfin Shad have deep, compressed bodies and filter feed on plankton, making them key forage fish for predators. Curious about Florida’s lake species? Explore the Handbook of Common Freshwater Fish: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0... 📸 Florida Museum

🌟 Missed the volunteer appreciation meeting? We covered invasive species: what they are, why they matter, and how to talk about them. Stay tuned for our Invasive Species Terminology Series starting with “Native species.” Learn more: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

📲 Stay Connected with LAKEWATCH! 🌊 Want to keep up with the latest on Florida’s lakes, wildlife, and water science? Follow us on your favorite social platform! 💙 🔗 Tap our Linktree to explore all our channels: linktr.ee/ufifaslakewa...

Cattle Egret 🪶 Feeding Fact: These clever birds follow livestock to catch insects stirred up by hooves. 🐄🪰 📘 Want to learn more about Florida’s aquatic birds? Explore the IFAS guide for fascinating species facts and habitat insights: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🌟 Volunteer Spotlight: Dr. Rick Copeland After retiring from FDEP, Rick co-founded AquiferWatch and has sampled Lake Talquin with LAKEWATCH since 2004. Thanks to his leadership, 47 volunteers now monitor groundwater across 4 counties. 👏 Read more: new.express.adobe.com/webpage/i2x0...

🛶 Hillsborough County leads in water monitoring! 📍 In 2024, citizen scientists with FL LAKEWATCH sampled ~80 local water bodies. That’s more than any other FL county. 🧪 Their efforts support long-term water quality research statewide. 🔗 Full story: www.tampabeacon.com/news/volunte...

🌟 Taillight Shiner Fun Fact 🌟 These slender fish sport a red spot near their tail and swim in schools near the surface. 🌊✨ 🐠 Curious about Florida’s lake fish? Explore the Handbook of Common Freshwater Fish! 📊🌿 🔗 ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0... 📸 Zach Randall, FL Museum

🚰 Meet AquiferWatch: a volunteer-powered nonprofit monitoring groundwater in Florida! With help from FL LAKEWATCH & Alachua County, citizen scientists track nitrate levels in the Santa Fe River Basin. 📊 Results show declines! 🔗 Full story: new.express.adobe.com/webpage/i2x0...

Shoutout to Rollins College students making waves in lake monitoring! 📢 James Hall’s op-ed in The Sandspur highlights how students support FL LAKEWATCH, a statewide program empowering volunteers to collect water data. 🧪 Science meets stewardship www.thesandspur.org/op-ed-rollin... 📸 Matt Dorsey

Black-crowned Night Heron 🪶 Feeding Fact: These stealthy birds hunt at dusk and dawn, using sharp beaks to snatch fish, insects, and crustaceans. 🌙🦐 📘 Discover more about Florida’s aquatic birds in the IFAS guide: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🌊 Watery Word: Riparian! 🌊

It's #GarWeek!! These awesome fish are fast becoming one of my favorite in Florida's lakes. Here's me and my team @ufifaslakewatch.bsky.social with a few Florida and Longnose Gar on Lake Louisa today!

🐟 Tadpole Madtoms are tiny catfish with a tadpole-like look and mild venom in their spines! 🌊✨ Curious about Florida’s freshwater fish? 🐠📚 Explore the Handbook of Common Freshwater Fish in Florida Lakes: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0... 📸 Zach Randall, Florida Museum

🧪🌊 Florida is a mercury hotspot, but most inland research is 20+ years old. LAKEWATCH’s new study dives into what we know (and don’t) about mercury in our lakes and rivers. Wildlife impacts, local variation, and emerging challenges. Read more 👉 new.express.adobe.com/webpage/i2x0...

🌊 Water Strider – The Ripple Whisperer It walks on water and speaks in waves. The water strider sends messages through ripples—signals of prey, rivals, and romance. A silent communicator in the haunted shallows.

🦴 Skeleton Crew Spotlight: Eva Oberosler Eva, our Witch of Workflow, brews perfectly packed kits and casts spells of lab organization. Her quiet magic keeps LAKEWATCH running, even when the fog rolls in and the data gets spooky. 🕸️ FL LAKEWATCH 📧 [email protected]

🧗♂️ Scud – The Plant Climber When fear strikes, the scud ascends. With clawed limbs and desperate speed, it climbs for survival, gripping the stems of aquatic plants like a creature escaping the underworld.

💀 Skeleton Crew Spotlight: Joshua Johnson Meet Joshua, our Lab Phantom! He haunts the shelves and conjures kits with eerie efficiency. Whether lurking in the lab or gliding through the office, he ensures our teams are ready to face the unknown. 🧙♂️Support Staff 📧 [email protected]

🏚️ Caddisfly – Haunted House Builder Some creatures build their own tombs. The caddisfly larva wraps itself in stone and leaf, crafting a mobile fortress to haunt the currents. A true architect of the abyss.

📣 Congrats to Susan & Bruce Kistler! 🎣 This year, they received their 20-Year Fishing Shirts for two decades of service with LAKEWATCH. Since 2005, they’ve monitored Lake Daisy, contributing vital data and dedication. Thank you for 20 amazing years! 💙

🦐 Grass Shrimp – The Hairy Seer It doesn’t need eyes to know you’re near. With hairs that sense chemical whispers, the grass shrimp is the clairvoyant of the creek, detecting danger before it arrives.

🌟 Swamp Darter Fun Fact 🌟 Swamp Darters are small, bottom-dwelling fish found in slow, plant-filled waters. Known for their unique patterns, they’re a hidden gem of Florida lakes. 🌿✨ 🐠📚 Explore more: ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00000131/0... 📸 Zach Randall, FLMNH

🫧 Dytiscid – The Bubble Hunter Beneath the surface, a predator waits, silent, submerged, and breathing through stolen air. The dytiscid larva is a bubble-breathing hunter with a taste for terror.

Collaboration in action! 🧪 LAKEWATCH, FWC & Winter Park teamed up to support research on invasive Asian Swamp Eels in Florida lakes. MS student Noah Peterson is studying their impact on food webs & sportfish. Fieldwork success thanks to many helping hands!

🐍 Skeleton Crew Spotlight: Noah Peterson Noah is our Swamp Sorcerer, unraveling the tangled food webs of Florida’s lakes and tracking the elusive swamp eel. His research slithers through the shadows, revealing the secrets of predator and prey. 🌕 Position: MSc Student 📧 [email protected]

💧 Used alum in your lake or pond? We want to hear from you! Your experience helps us understand alum use across Florida. 🌊 📧 Contact Dr. Lescord: [email protected] | (352) 846-6313 📞 Or call your coordinator: 1-800-LAKEWAT

🧪 Midge – Acid Spawn Not all horrors come with fangs. Some come as eggs. The midge’s spawn is so acidic, it scars concrete and paint, proof that even the smallest creatures can leave a terrifying mark.

🪶 Feeding Fact: Black Skimmers feed by flying low over the water, skimming the surface with their elongated lower mandible to snatch up fish. ✈️🐟 📘 Learn more about Florida’s aquatic birds: edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/...

🚀 Dragonfly – Rocket of the Abyss In the shadows of the pond, something stirs, and then vanishes in a burst. The dragonfly larva doesn’t flee… it launches. A jet-powered escape artist of the deep.

🧟 Skeleton Crew Spotlight: Anthony Johnson Anthony, our Mad Scientist, investigates PFAS and herbicide interactions with aquatic life. His lab bubbles with chemical mysteries as he hunts clues in the murky depths. 🧫 PhD Student 📧 [email protected]