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Category: Pests & Disease

Is it true that there are brown recluse spiders in Florida?

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 20, 2014

That depends on your definition of ‘here.’ No breeding populations of any species of recluse spiders (Loxosceles laeta, Loxosceles reclusa, and Loxosceles rufescens have all been found in the state), has been found in any Florida county ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Forests, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, Work & Life
Tags: Brown Recluse Spider, BugWeek, Dangerous, Entomology, FAQ

UF/IFAS is crawling with excitement as annual Bug Week nears

by BLOGS.IFASAvatar photo
May 14, 2014

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is hosting its second annual Bug Week May 19-23 with activities for students, families and bug lovers around the nation. “The UF Department ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Ruth Hohl Borger, University Of Florida

New on Featured Creatures! Black salt marsh mosquito.

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

We are pleased to announce a new article on Featured Creatures! Take a sneak peek with this excerpt from the article: The black salt marsh mosquito, Aedes taeniorhynchus (Wiedemann), is very common in the eastern coastal areas of the Americas, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Forests, Health & Nutrition, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Featured Creatures, Mosquitoes, Pest Alert

What’s the best mosquito repellent to use?

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

Scientific studies have shown the mosquito-repelling effectiveness of the chemical N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, which is better known by the acronym DEET. Although people have reported good results with other options ranging from cosmetics to ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, Work & Life
Tags: Bug, BugWeek, Dangerous, DEET, Entomology, FAQ, Insects, Mosquito, Repellent

Why is my area so bug-infested?

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

These are some common questions- Why are there so many bugs in Florida? Not species but individual bugs. Why is my area so bug-infested? Why are there sometimes so many bugs of a certain type, like love bug swarms? Florida’s warm, humid ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bug, BugWeek, Entomology, FAQ, Insects, Pest

Which bug is the biggest agricultural pest in Florida?

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

Right now it's probably the Asian citrus psyllid, a small flying insect that’s the vector of the presumptive cause of citrus greening disease, the bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The disease cost Florida citrus growers $4.5 billion ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: BugWeek, Citrus, FAQ, Insects, Pest

How do I know if I’m allergic to bee or wasp venom? I don’t think I’ve ever been stung.

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

You should talk to your primary care provider. There are tests available that can indicate potential bee and wasp venom allergies. In the meantime, if you’re not certain if you are allergic to bee or wasp venom, the best thing to do is take ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Allergic, Bee, BugWeek, Entomology, FAQ, Wasp

What’s the most dangerous bug in Florida?

by Jennifer Gillett-KaufmanAvatar photo
May 6, 2014

In the big scheme of things, it's the mosquito. These blood-sucking pests don’t pose a danger by themselves, but their bites can transmit microscopic organisms that cause infectious diseases including Eastern equine encephalitis and dengue. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Livestock, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: BugWeek, Dangerous, Entomology, FAQ, Insects, Mosquito

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