Category: Invasive Species

Asian Swamp eels Courtesy USGS

Researchers create DNA detection tool to stop spread of invasive Asian swamp eels, bullseye snakeheads

by Lourdes Mederos
February 24, 2026

Highlights University of Florida researchers have developed a DNA-based test that detects invasive species using only the genetic traces left behind in water. The newly published breakthrough gives wildlife conservationists a powerful ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Invasive Species, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Amphibian Decline, Aquatic Invasives, Archive, Asian Swamp Eel, Bahder Vector Ecology Lab, Brian Bahder, Bullseye Snakehead, Croc Docs Wildlife Research Lab, Crustacean Decline, DNA, Ecological Threat, EddMaps, EDNA, Environmental DNA, Everglades Restoration, Grant, Invasion Ecology, Invasive Species, IveGot1, Melissa Miller, National Invasive Species Awareness Week, SEEDIT, SEEDIT Grant, Sergio Balaguera-Reina, South Florida Water Management District, Support For Emerging Enterprise Development Integration Teams, U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Wildlife Conservationists
A close-up look at Formosan subterranean termites. Photo by Thomas Chouvenc.

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
photo collage of six female scientists who belong to the UF Croc Docs - a wildlife conservation lab.

Meet the UF Croc Docs: Women leading wildlife conservation in the Everglades

by Lourdes Mederos
February 5, 2026

Highlights Women make up less than 30% of all scientists globally, a reminder of how persistent gender gaps remain in STEM fields, according to UNESCO. At the University of Florida’s Croc Docs Wildlife Research Lab , women represent ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: American Crocodile, Burmese Python, Crocodile, Drones, Everglades National Park, Florida Everglades, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, GPS, Hawk, Innovation Tools, Innovative Solutions, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Species, Jen Brueggen, Melissa Miller, News, Radio Tracking, Snakes, Surveys, Tegu, Telemetry, UF Croc Docs, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida's Croc Docs Wildlife Research Lab, Venetia Briggs-Gonzalez, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
A view of a piece of wood infested by subterranean termites.

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
iNat_on_phone_with_snake_in_background_credit_blog banner

Science by the millions: How everyday people are revolutionizing global biodiversity research with tech

by Lourdes Mederos
July 28, 2025

A frog croaks from a walking trail. A hiker snaps a photo and uploads it to iNaturalist. That single act — one person, one amphibian and one click — feeds into a growing global dataset that scientists now use to map shifting species ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Agencies, Agricultural Technology Firms, Aquatic Invasives, Biodiversity, BioScience, Brittany Mason, Citizen Science, Conservation, Corey Callaghan, Dataset, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Fungi, Global Ecology, High-resolution Maps, INaturalist, INaturalist App, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, Map Shifting, Modeling, News, Observations, Organisms, Photo, Plants, Research Grade, Scientists, Species Ranges, Study, Technology, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
Gordon_at micoscope analyzing termite specimens banner.

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
The internal part of this damaged tree has been eaten by termites Courtesy Thomas Chouvenc blog

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
These Formosan termites are part of a colony. Adobe photo credit.

Is your neighborhood a termite hot spot? UF/IFAS researchers track the spread of destructive pests with online tool

by Lourdes Mederos
March 19, 2025

University of Florida researchers caution the public that an increasing number of communities are now hot spots for invasive termite species, facing significant threats to property and trees. “Recent studies indicate that Formosan subterranean ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Disaster Preparation, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Decayed Wood, Dropped Wings, Florida, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Infestations, Invasive Species, Map, Pest Control Professionals, Preventative Measures, Property Owners, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, West Indian Drywood Termites
A hissing Burmese python.

Cracking the Burmese python code: New data zeroes in on game-changing strategies

by Lourdes Mederos
February 6, 2025

In a groundbreaking study, University of Florida scientists statistically analyzed large amounts of data collected by Burmese python contractors, revealing critical insights about how to most efficiently remove the reptiles. Researchers ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Alex Romer, Big Cypress National Preserve, Burmese Python, Citizen Scientists, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Invasive Species, Melissa Miller, News, Palm Beach County, Python Contractors, Python Elimination Program, Reptiles, Scientific Reports, SFWMD, South Florida Water Management District, Tamiami Trail, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
This Burmese python was submerged in a bin filled with water to simulate the aquatic environment where they are typically found. Then researchers pulled several samples from the water for eDNA analysis. Photo courtesy Analise Fussell

UF/IFAS scientists develop groundbreaking method for detecting DNA of invasive snakes in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
November 21, 2024

Scientists at the University of Florida have developed a pioneering tool to bolster Florida’s defenses against invasive species: a DNA-based environmental monitoring test that can pinpoint where they’ve been, aiding eradication efforts. Once ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Invasive Species, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Boa Constrictors, Burmese Pythons, Climate Change, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, CROC Docs, Ecologu And Evolution, EDNA, Everglades, Florida’s Ecosystems, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazzotti, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Snakes, Invasives In Florida, News, Northern African Pythons, Rainbow Boas, Sergio Balaguera-Reina, Tetraplex Digital PCR Assay, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation

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