Lourdes Mederos, UF/IFAS Communications

Scientists urge divers, recreational charters, residents and visitors exploring the waters of South Florida to look for an invasive soft coral species that has been reported on the nearby surrounding shores of Cuba.The invasive pulse corals, a species within the Xeniidae family, are native to the Indo-Pacific and the Red seas. Several species of pulse corals have been discovered growing outside their native range into Hawaii, Venezuela, Cuba and Puerto Rico. Pulse corals reproduce rapidly, including asexually by fragmentation, and can overgrow coral reefs and seagrass meadows, with potentially devastating impacts.

A new University of Florida study reveals insights into the secret social lives of the vibrant emerald green orchid bee known as Euglossa dilemma. Among those revelations is the bees’ ability to transition from living alone to cohabiting in small groups.In the world of pollinators, orchid bees stand out for their brilliant colors, size and physical appearance to the unsuspecting person who comes across them in a garden, park or wildlife area.