Brazilian Pepper 101
Brazilian pepper tree, also known as the Christmas berry or Florida holly, is not as jolly as it may appear. Don’t be fooled by its appearance or nicknames—this tree is an invasive exotic plant. Invasive plants do not… Read More
Tag: Invasive Species
Emerald Ash Borer reaches Nova Scotia
The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) is a devastating pest of ash trees. For the first time, it has been found outside of its current regulated area in Nova Scotia, Canada. The continuous spread of emerald ash borer… Read More
Wavyleaf Basketgrass Confirmed in Okaloosa County
We have confirmed a new invasive plant in Okaloosa County. Wavyleaf Basketgrass was first found in Maryland in 1996 and quickly spread into Virginia and Pennsylvania. This invasive is very shade tolerant. It originates from Southern Europe and… Read More
The brown marmorated stink bug, now a pest of limited distribution in Florida
In May of 2018 an egg clutch and nymphs of the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, was found in Lake County, Florida. Several weeks later an additional egg clutch with nymphs was found less than 1… Read More
Khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium
The Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is the one of the most destructive stored grain pests in the world. It has been described as one of the worst invasive species worldwide, and is listed on the USDA-APHIS website as… Read More
Invasive Alert! Meet the New Guinea Flatworm
By Joshua Kutyna, Indian River Extension Program Assistant for Christine Kelly-Begazo There is an invader amongst us, and it goes by the name of Platydemus manokwari. Better known as the New Guinea flatworm, this alien aggressor is a… Read More
Bay County Air Potato Challenge and Invasive Species Awareness Day a Success
On June 6th, we held an Invasive Species Workshop: Air Potato Challenge and Species Awareness day at the UF/IFAS Extension Office in Panama City. Over 700 air potato leaf beetles were distributed to more than 30 sites in… Read More
Oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) trapped in Florida
A few weeks ago, we wrote about the oriental fruit fly, which has the potential to be a severe pest to fruits and vegetables in Florida. The oriental fruit fly is commonly trapped by DPI and sometimes spurs… Read More
New pest in Florida: Hibiscus bud weevil, Anthonomus testaceosquamosus
DPI recently identified several weevil samples collected from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Hernando counties as Anthonomus testaceosquamosus, the hibiscus bud weevil. This weevil is currently found in Mexico and Texas, and it causes significant damage hibiscus flower buds. Adults lay… Read More
Restoring Florida’s Coast: From the Perspective of a Student
Guest post by Anna Babione In the beginning of the year, Mr. Ahrens introduced the idea of growing our own plants from seed to replace the invasive species on Florida’s beautiful coast. At first, I was not sure… Read More