UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department
Local, state, and federal agencies came together to release dozens of vials containing thrips (Pseudophilothrips ichini) insects in Saint Lucie, Collier, and Broward counties, Florida on July 16, 2019. These thrips are native to South America and are… Read More
This is a post by UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology graduate student, Patricia Prade, Dr. Carey Minteer, and Dr. Adam Dale. Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many invasive plant species around if we have so many… Read More
The UF/IFAS Honey Bee Lab has collaborated on research that led to two recent Varroa-related publications. Below are summaries of that research as well as links to the full publications. Varroa feeding This research was conducted through the collaborative… Read More
Since 2015, the Tools for Varroa Management Guide published by the Honey Bee Health Coalition (HBHC) has been a go-to beekeeper resource on Varroa. The guide includes information about the mites, tips on how to select a control… Read More
Since 2014, several Florida blueberry growers reported visible tunneling on the canes of their blueberry bushes. In the summer of 2016, the University of Florida Fruit and Vegetable IPM Laboratory found a flatheaded borer larva feeding on wood… Read More
At the end of 2017, German bee researchers published a journal article detailing work that they had completed which looked at the compound lithium chloride (LiCl) as a new potential option for Varroa control (Ziegelmann et al., 2017)…. Read More
Varroa destructor is the Number One pest of our Western Honey Bee, Apis mellifera. This pest (commonly called Varroa or Varroa mite) is a parasite that feeds on a bee’s hemolymph, causing honey bee stress and eventually the death of developing… Read More
Consider a microscopic pest that is a master of hiding and waiting, silently but rapidly building in numbers so that by the time you know what you are dealing with, the damage has already been done. This pest… Read More
This summer, keep your bees’ water source from becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Requirements for beekeepers requires that managed honey bee colonies have access to a convenient… Read More
Above: The leaf-footed bug uses its unique hind legs as weapons. UF/IFAS photo by Christine Miller. A cat’s claws, a rhino’s horn, a snake’s fangs—many animals use weapons that are part of their body to catch food, defend themselves… Read More
