{"id":242396,"date":"2026-04-22T21:42:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T21:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/242396\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T21:42:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T21:42:17","slug":"mothballs-found-scattered-at-st-pete-beach-nesting-site-one-week-before-protected-birds-arrive-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/242396\/","title":{"rendered":"Mothballs found scattered at St. Pete Beach nesting site one week before protected birds arrive"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Brief<\/p>\n

Hundreds, possibly thousands, of mothballs were found at a St. Pete Beach nesting site for protected black skimmers.<\/p>\n

Experts say the pesticide-filled balls release toxic fumes and could harm birds, the ecosystem, and even people.<\/p>\n

Volunteers cleaned up the area as businesses now offer a reward for information in the case.<\/p>\n

ST. PETE BEACH, Fla. – Environmental advocates are raising alarms after what they call a deliberate act of sabotage at a key shorebird nesting site, just days before the protected birds are expected to arrive to nest.<\/p>\n

The backstory<\/p>\n

Officials say mothballs were scattered across a section of St. Pete Beach<\/a>, where black skimmers, a protected species in Florida, typically nest starting May 1.<\/p>\n

Mothballs contain pesticides designed for enclosed spaces and release toxic fumes when exposed to the open air. Experts warn they should never be used outdoors, especially in sensitive habitats.<\/p>\n

Volunteers and bird stewards spent hours Monday removing the mothballs from the sand to reduce the risk to wildlife<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why you should care<\/p>\n

Black skimmers nest directly on open sand, making them especially vulnerable to disturbances.<\/p>\n

Environmental advocates say exposure to toxic chemicals could harm not only the birds but the broader ecosystem<\/a> and even beachgoers.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also concern a child could mistake a mothball for candy, posing a serious health risk.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What they’re saying<\/p>\n

Lisa Reich, president and CEO of the Coastal Wildlife Advocacy Group<\/a>, says the act is especially troubling ahead of nesting season.<\/p>\n

She describes protecting the birds as “a constant fight,” noting ongoing concerns about human activity disrupting fragile habitats.<\/p>\n

Local residents echoed that frustration, calling the situation “disgusting” and “ridiculous.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Local perspective<\/p>\n

Volunteers quickly mobilized to clean up the site, working to remove as many mothballs as possible before the birds arrive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At the same time, local businesses and residents are offering a reward for information that could lead to whoever is responsible.<\/p>\n

Businesses pledging money toward the reward include: Mullens Plants and Palms, Suncoast Water Sports, Twisted Tiki, Riptides, Squid Ink Tattoo, Dune Savers, Florida Tiki Tours, and Suncoast Tattoos.<\/p>\n

Organizers say more businesses may join as the effort grows.<\/p>\n

What’s next<\/p>\n

The city of St. Pete Beach says it is working with state and environmental partners as the investigation continues.<\/p>\n

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Source<\/p>\n

This story is based on reporting from FOX 13 News, including interviews with environmental advocates, local residents and a statement from the city of St. Pete Beach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Brief Hundreds, possibly thousands, of mothballs were found at a St. Pete Beach nesting site for protected…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":242397,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[107041,99866,15089,106221,202,2149,204,203,199,201,200,107042],"class_list":{"0":"post-242396","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-st-petersburg","8":"tag-black-skimmers","9":"tag-environmental-advocates","10":"tag-local-businesses","11":"tag-mothballs","12":"tag-st-pete","13":"tag-st-pete-beach","14":"tag-st-pete-headlines","15":"tag-st-pete-news","16":"tag-st-petersburg","17":"tag-st-petersburg-headlines","18":"tag-st-petersburg-news","19":"tag-toxic-fumes"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242396","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242396"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242396\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242396"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242396"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242396"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}