Category: Pests & Disease

Simple Steps to Reduce Mosquito Breeding in Your Landscape

by Julie Schelb
September 29, 2026

Reducing mosquito breeding sources in the landscape begins with identifying areas where water can collect and remain standing. Many common landscape features and gardening items can hold enough water for mosquitoes to complete their life cycle. ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Jschelb, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mosquito, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg, Rain Barrel, Rain Barrels, Turfgrass, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Your Central Florida Yard Podcast

More Than an Itch: Protecting Your Home and Family From Mosquitoes

by Sara MacDonald
September 21, 2026

For many Floridians, mosquitoes are simply part of spending time outdoors. But a mosquito bite can be more than an annoyance. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases, including dengue, West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses. Recent dengue ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: (MGV), Florida Friendly Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County

Found an Invasive Plant? Here’s What to Do Next

by Sara MacDonald
September 18, 2026

Once homeowners learn what invasive plants are, they often start seeing their own yards differently. A plant they have grown for years may suddenly raise a new question: Could this be invasive? And if it is, the next question is usually: “How ... READ MORE

Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, IPM, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County

Watch Out for Stinging Insects

by Mark Tancig
September 18, 2026

As we enter September, many gardeners are getting their landscapes back in shape after the long, hot summer months. There are likely some large weeds and/or vines that have taken up areas where they are not wanted. As you begin to hack these ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease
Tags: Gardening In The Panhandle, Hornets, Panhandle Gardening, Stinging Insects, Wasps, Yellow Jacket

Florida Lawn Insect Control

by Lake County Master Gardener Volunteer
September 15, 2026

Written by MGV Clayton Yuen Florida’s Five Most Destructive Lawn Insect Pests: What Homeowners Need to Know A lush green lawn is a source of pride for many homeowners, but beneath the surface, insect pests may be quietly causing extensive ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Armyworms, Chinch Bugs, Florida Lawns, Lawn Insect Pests, Mole Crickets, Sod Webworms, White Grubs

UF launches initiative to support rapid-response research when invasive pests threaten Florida agriculture

by Lourdes Mederos
September 14, 2026

When a new invasive pest or plant disease appears, scientists have a small window of opportunity to address the threat before it spreads and becomes a much larger problem, potentially devastating Florida's agriculture, nursery industries, natural ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Events, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Agriculture, Challenge 250, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Nursery, One Night In The Tropics, Rapid-response, Safeguard Ecosystems, Top News, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center

UF launches initiative to support rapid-response research when invasive pests threaten Florida agriculture

by Lourdes Mederos
September 14, 2026

Cactoblastis in your cactus

by Ralph Mitchell
September 11, 2026

Very few pests bother prickly pear cactus in our area, and many landscapes are graced with these large, beautifully abstract plants. In fact, there are so many Opuntia species that this plant group can make you a collector in no time. ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Cactoblastis Cactorum, Cactus Moth, Moth, Prickly Pear Cactus

¿Ha oído hablar del avispón de patas amarillas? Lo que los propietarios de viviendas en Florida deben saber

by Sara MacDonald
September 9, 2026

Si disfruta pasar tiempo en su jardín, probablemente ha visto una buena cantidad de abejas, avispas y avispones. Pero ¿qué haría si encontrara un insecto que pareciera un avispón de patas amarillas? El avispón de patas amarillas (Vespa ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Invasive, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County, UFIFASEnEspañol

Florida Farm Pests: Whiteflies

by Luis Rodriguez Rosado
September 9, 2026

Florida is a place where plenty of pests thrive because of its weather and environment. Among these pests, whiteflies are very common and can cause significant problems to both agricultural crops and home garden plants. Although they are very ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Florida Farms, Florida Pests, Pests, Plant Pests, Polk County, Polksmallfarms, Small Farms, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Polk County, Whiteflies

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