“What is that noise,” asked the visitors to Middle Georgia when I was a teenager. They were visiting during the summer from El Paso, Texas. I asked, “What noise?” They replied, “That loud noise in the trees.” I responded, “Oh, ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
See a bug on your plant? Don't spray it just yet. Finding an insect on your favorite plant can be alarming. You may wonder, “Is it hurting my plant?” or “How do I get rid of it?” Before reaching for a pesticide, take a closer look. That ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Working as a team This summer has been a tough year for landscapes in northeast Florida. With the drought this spring, the late start to afternoon thunderstorms, and the hotter temperatures, many homeowners have had problems keeping their ... READ MORE
Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Specialty/Tropical Fruit Maprang (Bouea macrophylla Griff.) Fruit Trees: Botany and Commercial Cultivation in South Florida By Federico W. Sanchez, Jonathan H. Crane, and Bruce Schaffer Maprang (Bouea macrophylla Griff.), also known as ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
The University of Florida did not invent lovebugs. However, we know enough about them to dispel a couple rumors and share a few facts. Rumor #1 - Lovebugs were developed by the University of Florida to eat mosquitoes. Sometime after ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & DiseaseIt’s that time of year again: warmer weather, blooming plants, and swarms of tiny black lubber grasshoppers. On the UF/IFAS Extension nature trail in St. Lucie County, I spotted countless nymphs scattering through the plants. They may be small ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
It is alarming to suddenly find brown/yellow patches in your lawn. Due to Florida’s hot Summer temperatures, high humidity, and frequent rains, you probably have a disease issue. Here are tools to identify fungal symptoms and make an educated ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
If you have houseplants, you may have experienced a nuisance insect called the fungus gnat. This tiny true fly is an inhabitant of moist soil where it feeds on fungi and organic matter found in houseplant soil – especially overly moist ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
What producers, land managers, and forage professionals need to know as Florida’s response takes shape. At a glance. The pasture mealybug was first detected in Florida in May 2026; it has now been reported in 22 Florida counties, including ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS Research
This article was written by Dr. Romain Exilien, Postdoctoral Associate, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC) and Dr. Xavier Martini, Associate Professor, UF/IFAS NFREC. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) is a small, mottled-brown ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research