Jill Staake 2021 Square   Jill Staake

Jill Staake

location-pin Tampa, Florida

Expertise: Gardening, Butterflies and Bugs, Backyard Wildlife

Jill Staake

  • MOSI Outside Assistant Curator, Museum of Science & Industry, Tampa: 8 years.
  • Contributing Editor, WeAreTeachers: 6 years.
  • Contributor, Birds & Blooms: 14 years

Experience

Jill Staake's lifelong love of nature turned into a career during the years she spent working with native Florida butterflies, caterpillars, and other wildlife at the Museum of Science & Industry in Tampa, Florida. During this time, she helped to maintain 30+ acres of gardens and backwoods, all carefully cultivated to support the more than 20 species of butterflies displayed indoors and out. She now writes for a variety of publications and sites on topics like gardening, birding, and education, among others.

Education

Bachelor of science degree in Secondary English Language Arts Education

Birds & Blooms Editorial Policies


For nearly 30 years, Birds & Blooms, a Trusted Media Brand, has been inspiring readers to have a lifelong love of birding, gardening and nature. We are the #1 bird and garden magazine in North America and a trusted online resource for over 15 million outdoor enthusiasts annually. Our library of thousands of informative articles and how-tos has been written by trusted journalists and fact-checked by bird and garden experts for accuracy. In addition to our staff of experienced gardeners and bird-watchers, we hire individuals who have years of education and hands-on experience with birding, bird feeding, gardening, butterflies, bugs and more. Learn more about Birds & Blooms, our field editor program, and our submission guidelines.

Articles

7 Surprising Facts About Invasive Plants

From purple loosestrife to kudzu, find facts about invasive plants—and learn why you'll want to eliminate these non-natives from your yard.

Native Blanket Flower Blankets Gardens in Bold Color

Blanket flower is a native wildflower that is easy to grow from seed. It is reliable and adaptable, and will fill your garden with beauty.

How to Grow Tropical Plumeria Flowers (Frangipani)

Get plumeria care and growing tips, including watering and overwintering. This tropical plant is fragrant and a good choice for containers.