Category: Pests & Disease

New EDIS/Ask IFAS Document Published by Entomology and Nematology During May and June

by Susan Gildersleeve
August 5, 2025

Discover the latest research and practical solutions from UF/IFAS experts. These are the new EDIS/Ask IFAS documents published by Entomology during May and June. Stay informed and inspired with our updates! Striped Sod Webworm (Larva), Changeable ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Tags: Ask IFAS, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, EDIS Journal, Featured Creatures Collection

The Birds and the Bees and the Fruit Trees

by Jeff Wasielewski
August 5, 2025

Remember that classic talk about “the birds and the bees”? Well, these are the birds and bees they were talking about. The ones that pollinate. Well, it’s mostly bees…and flies, and beetles, and butterflies, but birds and even bats can ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension

Create a Buggy Yard!

by Maria Quirico
August 4, 2025

Insect populations are on the decline. This is a serious problem because insects are a primary source of food for any ecosystem. Birds, reptiles, and small mammals rely on insects as a major part of their diet. There are TEN simple things ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, Water, Wildlife

August 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
August 4, 2025

Recap of August 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector Invasive Species Threatening Florida’s Palms In August, our monthly webinar took a deep dive into the world of invasive species affecting palms. From our neatly landscaped yards ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD24-25, FloridaFirstDetector, Palms, SeminoleCountyAg

The Beneficial Insects You Don’t See

by Caitlin Sollazzo
August 4, 2025

When we talk about insect conservation, the conversation usually centers on “saving the bees.” But this often overlooks an entire world of tiny, unseen creatures that are just as vital to our ecosystems. These small, often overlooked arthropods, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Conservation, Florida Friendly Landscape, Gardening, Horticulture, Insects, Manatee County Extension, Microscopic

De favoritas del jardín a amenazas ecológicas: por qué debemos replantearnos lo que plantamos?

by Sara MacDonald
August 1, 2025

No todas las plantas atractivas pertenecen al paisaje de Florida. Dos especies ornamentales comunes, Asclepias curassavica, conocida comúnmente como algodoncillo tropical o venenillo, y Tradescantia zebrina, también llamada planta cebra o ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Especies Invasoras, FISC, Florida Friendly Landscape, Mariposas, OE, Pollinators

¡Ayuda a combatir la enredadera invasora “papa voladora” en el condado de St. Lucie!

by Sara MacDonald
July 31, 2025

Ya llegó esa época del año en que la papa voladora comienza a brotar, y muchas personas se preguntan: ¿cómo podemos deshacernos de ella? ¿Qué es la papa voladora? La papa voladora (Dioscorea bulbifera) es una planta trepadora invasora ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Air Potato, Air Potato Leaf Beetle, Especies Invasoras, Florida Friendly Landscape, Integrated Pest Management, Manejo Integrado De Plagas, MIP

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: 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

As pesticide applicator licensing changes, UF/IFAS expands testing hours

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 28, 2025

UF/IFAS is extending testing hours for Florida Pesticide Certification Exams ahead of major changes to the state’s pesticide exam process. In order to safely keep homes, businesses and farms pest-free, Florida’s pesticide applicators ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Pesticide Licensing Class

Butterfly Attractor: Passion Vine

by Maria Quirico
July 24, 2025

Passion Flower is a very special Florida Native Vine - it is a larval (caterpillar) host plant for two beautiful butterflies. What this means is that if you grow Passiflora incarnata, you will probably have a visit from Zebra Longwing and Gulf ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension

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