Randell Research Center

08/20/2026

Today is World Mosquito Day--though sometimes it seems like every day is World Mosquito Day on Pine Island. Take some time today to review mosquito safety, dump standing water around your home, and learn other ways Lee County fights the bite:

08/17/2026

A surprise visitor at the RRC Pavilion this morning: a slender brown scorpion (Centruroides gracilis)! While relatively common at the RRC, scorpions generally prefer dark, damp places like rotten trees or underneath rocks. Visitors rarely encounter them.

Scorpions have a fierce appearance, and their stings are painful, though not usually serious. They have soft bodies and relatively poor vision, and track their prey (usually roaches and termites) through vibrations.

The presence of scorpions is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. If you see a scorpion in the wild, simply give it space. This one was safely relocated away from visitor areas. If you have concerns about wildlife while visiting, you can ask an RRC staff member for help.

Florida Museum photo by RRC staff.

08/10/2026

08/04/2026

Watch your step! If you're on the RRC trails today, tiny frogs may join you. These frogs are smaller than a fingernail and may be looking for ants and other bugs to eat.

These two are probably greenhouse frogs, a non-native but non-invasive frog that is widespread throughout Florida and active in humid weather. However, Florida is home to many species of miniature frogs and toads, including some of the smallest frogs in North America.

Learn more about the greenhouse frog: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW527

Listen to Florida Museum's database of frog calls and see if you can identify frogs near you: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-herps/florida-frog-calls/

Florida Museum photo by RRC Staff.

08/03/2026

Learn about an artifact found at the Pineland Complex, and visit us to learn more about Calusa culture and daily life.

07/31/2026

Good morning, lounge lizard! This is the southeastern 5 lined skink, one of our local native lizards. Skinks are abundant in Florida but relatively shy, and you may only see them briefly, darting into a hiding place under wood or leaf litter.

Young skinks have a bright blue tail that encourages predators to attack a less vulnerable part of their bodies. They can detach their tails to escape. This adult male has grown out of most of his bright colors, but his head is red, since it is breeding season.

🛈 Learn more about how young lizards use bright blue tails for self defense: https://www.iflscience.com/why-do-young-lizards-have-blue-tails-36527

Florida Museum photo by RRC staff.

07/15/2026

If you’ve visited the RRC recently you may have noticed Ibis Pond turning pink! This color change comes from salt or sulfur-loving microbes multiplying in the water.

During Pine Island’s prolonged dry season, water in the pond has evaporated, leaving a concentration of sulfur and sodium. The population of red-tinted microbes that eat these minerals has grown, turning the water a vibrant hue. This is part of a natural process for sulfur water. After yesterday’s heavy rains, the pond has returned to its regular dark blue.

Florida Museum photo by RRC Staff.