Category: UF/IFAS

As new invasive species threatens Florida pastures and sugarcane, researchers racing to manage pasture mealybug outbreak

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 6, 2026

Invasive pasture mealybug has been detected in 15 Florida counties and can rapidly kill pasture grasses, hayfields and sugarcane, causing severe crop losses. UF/IFAS scientists are studying the newly arrived pest, while emergency approval ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Pasture Mealybug

Training the Future of Beekeeping: UF/IFAS Honey Bee Laboratory Hosts Honey Bee Queen Instrumental Insemination Workshop Alongside Purdue and Apis Engineering

by Amy Vu
April 24, 2026

GAINESVILLE, Fla., April 21, 2026 — The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory (HBREL) collaborated with Purdue University and Apis Engineering to hold one ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Beekeeping, Bees, Entomology, Honey Bee, Honeybee, Insemination, Pollination, UFBugs, UFHoneyBee, UFHoneyBeeLab, UFIFASExtension

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services new Plant Pay Portal: What Florida Beekeepers Need to Know

by Amy Vu
March 10, 2026

If you're a Florida beekeeper (or interested in becoming one), there is a new portal through the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), called Plant Pay. The FDACS Plant Pay Portal is designed to pay invoices, manage ... READ MORE

Category: Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Fdacs, Honey, Honey Bee, UFBugs, UFHoneyBee, UFHoneyBeeLab, UFIFASExtension

Strengthening Honey Bee Colonies Through Queen Instrumental Insemination

by Amy Vu
March 5, 2026

Background Honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) continue to face significant losses, largely due to stressors like the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. While chemical treatments are commonly used to treat Varroa, growing resistance has made ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bees, Entomology, Honey Bee, Honeybee, Pests, Pollination, UF/IFAS, UFBugs, UFHoneyBee, UFHoneyBeeLab, UFIFASExtension

Sloth fever unlikely to spread via mosquitoes in Southeastern U.S.

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
December 11, 2025

In 2024, “sloth fever” hit the news cycle as a new public health threat: The virus was found in people who’d recently traveled to Cuba, and the serious health risks associated with the disease prompted concern about whether it could spread ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: FMEL, Mosquito, Sloth Fever

Creepy, crawly, and totally cool: Florida’s “spooktacular” spiders aren’t so scary after all

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
October 28, 2025

As Halloween approaches, it’s the perfect time to spotlight some of Florida’s coolest and spookiest spiders —that aren’t so scary after all. Spiders are often misunderstood, but many are shy, harmless and downright fascinating. Lisa ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Halloween, Jumping Spider, Lisa Anne Taylor, Spider

Using research to change regulation: Honey bee research impacts EPA labeling

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
September 17, 2025

Seeing impacts from your research can be a long, laborious and tedious process. But testing a hypothesis and discovering a fact that ends up impacting everyday people – that’s a crowning achievement for a scientist. University of Florida ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research

Chinch bug challenges continue in 2025

by Adam Dale
August 6, 2025

2024 was arguably the most challenging year in the past decade for Florida chinch bug management. Phone call after email after meeting, I was hearing pest control professionals describe their struggles to control chinch bugs in lawns. None of ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Lawn, Pest Control, Resistance, Southern Chinch Bug, St. Augustinegrass, Turf

The empire strikes back: insect “carbonization” through hand sanitizer

by Jun Soo Bae and Yoosook Lee

July 30, 2025

Jun Soo Bae, UF/IFAS FMEL Co-Author: Yoosook Lee, UF/IFAS FMEL Introduction Have you ever had an unwelcome guest appearing out of nowhere that induced rage from the depth of your soul? Perhaps you’re relaxing on the porch or watching ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Health & Nutrition, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: FMEL, Insect, Mosquito BEACONS

Southeast Pest Management Conference 2025

by Eliana Joseph
April 3, 2025

Join us for a buzzing event packed with the latest innovations, research, and best practices in pest management! Whether you're a seasoned industry professional or just starting out, the Southeast Pest Management Conference (SEPMC) has something ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biocontrol, Biological Control, Bug, CALS, Educational Training, Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, Insect, Insects, Integrated Pest Management, Invasive, IPM, Landscape, Landscapes, Lawn, Pest, Pest Management, Pesticides, Pests, Pests And Disease, Plant-insect Interactions

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