Category: Pests & Disease

UF/IFAS FNGLA Palm Quest 2026 to unveil next generation AI drone research tools for a changing industry on April 21-22

by Lourdes Mederos
March 26, 2026

From artificial intelligence that can diagnose palm diseases to drone technology tracking tree health from above, the Palm Quest 2026 Conference will spotlight the future of palm science when it returns to Fort Lauderdale April 21 to 22. Hosted ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, EVENTS, Farm Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: #AI, AI-driven Palm Diagnostics, Artificial Intelligence, Disease, Drones, Ecosystem, Environmental Stressors, Florida, Florida's Ecosystem, Fungal Diseases, Fungal Pathogen, Mica McMillan, Native Palms, Palm Quest 2026, Palm Trees, Palm Varieties, Pests, Plant Health, Soil, Sustainability, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, Urban Environments

Florida termite breakthrough research sparks a nationwide surveillance collaboration initiative

by Lourdes Mederos
February 19, 2026

A new nationwide initiative inspired by University of Florida research is uniting scientists and industry professionals across the United States to stay ahead of destructive invasive termites. Known as The North American Termite Survey ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termite, Entomology And Nematology, Extension, Florida, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Species, Model, National Invasive Species Awareness Week, NATS, News, Pest Management, South Florida, Structural Damage, Structural Entomologists, Termite Infestations, Termites, The North American Termite Survey, Thomas Chouvenc, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, University Of Florida Termite Collection

New study shows invasive termites threatening homes in Florida are spreading farther than predicted

by Lourdes Mederos
February 4, 2026

Highlights A new study from the University of Florida has found that two highly destructive invasive termite species have spread well beyond South Florida and are now threatening homes and buildings across much of the state. Decades ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termite, Chouvenc, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Species, News, Pest Control, Spread, Study, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Termite Collection

Innovative tool offers palm owners, growers new line of defense against trunk rot, protecting iconic trees

by Lourdes Mederos
November 13, 2025

Ever wonder why some palm varieties flourish while others suddenly bend at the trunk or topple over completely? From the iconic coconut palm to towering royal palms, these signature features of Florida’s landscapes are facing a silent ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Advancement, Biological Controls, Braham Dhillon, Canary Island Date Palms, Coconut Palm, Conservation, Date Palms, Disease, Disease Resistance, Entomology And Nematology, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fronds, Fungicides, Germplasm Collection, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive, Leaflets, Lethal Fungus, Monica Elliott, News, Palm, Palm Landscape, Pathogens, Plant Pathology, Plant Pathology Department, Research, Resilient, Royal Palms, Thielaviopsis Trunk Rot, Trunk Rot, U.S. Department Of Agriculture Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research And Education (USDA-SSARE), UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Usda, USDA-ARS, Wahingtonia Palms

Nov. 5: UF’s palm tree team brings science, solutions to South Florida at Palm Short Course in Davie and online

by Lourdes Mederos
October 28, 2025

Florida’s palm trees don’t just define the Sunshine State’s skylines. They are a cornerstone of the state’s environment and economy. Yet, pests, diseases and nutrient issues can make it tough to keep the many varieties healthy. To ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, EVENTS, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Arborists, Conservation, Entomology And Nematology, Environmental Horticulture, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Growers, Horticultural Sciences, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Mica McMillan, News, Nutrients, Palm, Palm Disease, Palm Tree Short Course, Property Managers, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, University Of Florida

Can Robigus be the new crop guardian? This app tracks plant diseases globally

by Lourdes Mederos
September 8, 2025

Named after the Roman god who once guarded wheat fields from blight, Robigus is the newest tech ally in the fight against plant diseases. Developed by a scientist at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, App, Braham Dhillon, Cavendish Bananas, Crops, Disease Outbreaks, Farms, Fields, First Reports, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fruit, Fungal Pathogen, Gardeners, Global, HiPerGator, Homeowners, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Molecular Plant Pathologist, News, Nursery, Palms, Plant Disease, Plant Pathology, Plants, Robigus, Roman God, Scientists, Tropical Race 4 Of Fusarium, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Supercomputer, Vegetable

Florida experts break down the buzz on the myth of mosquito-repelling plants

by Lourdes Mederos
August 6, 2025

As we enter the heart of Florida’s summer in July and August, we’re at the peak of both rainy season and mosquito season, with daily downpours creating ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes across the state. If you’ve ever wondered ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Basil, Beach Sunflowers, Beneficial Wildlife, Birds, Candles, Citronella, Dragonflies, Entomology And Nematology, Environmental Horticulture, Eucalyptus, Eva Buckner, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Florida-friendly Landscaping, Horticultural Sciences, Insects, Jennifer Pelham, Ladybugs, Lavender, Liah Continentino, Marigolds, Mint, Mosquito, Mosquito Control, Mosquito Season, Natural Predators, News, Rain, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, UF/IFAS Extension Monroe County, University Of Florida

From itchy bites to asthma triggers: Why one scientist studies what’s bugging us

by Lourdes Mederos
July 14, 2025

From bed bugs in bedrooms and cockroaches in kitchens to the latest invasive pests spreading into new communities, the uninvited guests that sneak into our homes are more than just nuisances—they can be public health threats, economic ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Disaster Preparation, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Work & Life
Tags: Allergenic Proteins, Allergens, Bd Bugs, Bites, Bugs, Cockroaches, Data-driven, Entomology, Extension Outreach, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Health Risk, Histamine, Homes, Households, Human Immune Response, Insects, Invasive Pests, Johnalyn Gordon, Lourdes Mederos, Pest-management Solutions, Pests, Species, Structural Pests, Threats, Tropical Climate, Urban Pests

Nine-armed Sea Stars dying in Atlantic waters: UF/IFAS scientists document first case of disease in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
June 18, 2025

A disturbing scene met snorkelers in Palm Beach County’s coastal waters – sea stars (also known as starfish) with missing limbs, open wounds and bodies falling apart on the ocean floor. The condition known as Sea Star Wasting Disease ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alexander Romer, Atlantic Waters, Curling Limbs, Densovirus, Eric Suarez, Florida Fish And Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, INaturalist, Lake Worth Cove, Lourdes Mederos, Marine, Melissa Miller, Nine-armed Sea Stars, Palm Beach County, Sea Star Wasting Disease, Southeaster Naturalist, Splitlure Frogfish, SSWS, Starfish, Starfish Wasting Disease, University Of Florida, Wildlife

UF/IFAS scientists confirm hybrid termites established in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
May 21, 2025

Scientists confirm that two of the world’s most destructive invasive termite species are not only spreading in the United States but also hybridizing – the process of two different species crossbreeding to produce a hybrid. This raises ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Biology, Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termites, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Genetic, Hybrid, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion, Invasion Science, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, News, Proceedings Of The Royal Society B, Structural Damage, Termite Soldier, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc

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