Maria Portelos-Rometo

County agent

UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County blog profile

Publications

Best Practices for Shoppers at the Farmers' Market

Maria Portelos-Rometo, Jamie Sapijaszko, and Soohyoun Ahn

This factsheet is one in a “Florida Farmers’ Markets” series that is designed to provide information to managers, vendors and shoppers of Florida farmers’ markets on topics highly relevant to starting and running a food business: regulations, best practices, and marketing. This series serves as a useful guide to help improve safety and marketability of Florida farmers’ markets.

Integrated Pest Management in the Home: Has Your House Gone Batty? Facts about Bats

Shelly Johnson, LuAnn Duncan, Katherine Allen, Judy Corbus, Faith Oi, Karen Stauderman, Katherine Marin, Nelly Nelson, and Maria Portelos-Rometo

Are there bats in my house? Why? And what should I do about it? Bats are the only major predator of night-flying insects, which makes them an important part of our ecosystem. Occasionally, a single bat or group of bats find their way into a human-made structure. The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the Home series is intended to answer frequently asked questions, allay fears, and provide practical help to the public. All bats in Florida are protected, and it is important to seek assistance and follow state and federal laws. This publication provides information to educate homeowners on appropriate and lawful ways to deal with bats in buildings.