Category: Pests & Disease

Tropical milkweed

From garden favorites to ecological threats: Why we need to rethink what we plant

by Sara MacDonald
August 1, 2025

Not all pretty plants belong in Florida’s landscape. Two commonly ornamental plants, tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) and zebra inchplant (Tradescantia zebrina), have recently raised red flags with scientists and conservationists ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Butterfly, FISC, Florida Friendly Landscape, Invasive Species, Milkweed, Native Plants, 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
Mosquito sucking blood

Know your Enemy: The Diseases Mosquitoes Carry Series 3

by Lisa Hickey
July 25, 2025

Understanding mosquitoes is the first step in protecting yourself from the diseases they carry.  While the male mosquito buzzes around your ears, it’s the female that bites–seeking a blood meal to support egg development. Beyond being a ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease
Tags: Arboviruses, Dengue, Florida Health, Malaria, Mosquito Prevention, Mosquito-borne Diseases, Public Health, UF/IFAS Extension, Vector Control, West Nile Virus

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

Help Fight the Invasive Air Potato Vine in St. Lucie County

by Sara MacDonald
July 24, 2025

It’s that time of year again, air potato vines are starting to sprout, and many of us are wondering: how can we get rid of them? What is the air potato? The air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a fast-growing, invasive vine originally from ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Air Potato, Air Potato Leaf Beetle, Biological Control, Integrated Pest Management, Invasive Species, IPM

Hillsborough County Plant Clinic Offers Free Service to Answer Lawn and Landscape Questions

by Tia Silvasy
July 23, 2025

Plant Clinic Services UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County has trained Master Gardener Volunteers and staff to answer your questions about turfgrass, vegetables, fruit trees, ornamental plants, shrubs, trees and more. We offer insect and ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Disease, Free, Garden Help, Help Desk, Hillsborough County, Insect, Plant Clinic, Soil, Tampa Bay, UF/IFAS Extension
Thrips parvispinus (male left, female right) Photo Credit: Lyle Buss

Thrips parvispinus Management

by Caitlin Sollazzo
July 23, 2025

Thrips parvispinus: What We’re Learning About Management in Ornamentals A relatively new invasive pest in Florida, Thrips parvispinus, has quickly gained attention due to its ability to damage a wide range of ornamental and vegetable crops. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Insects, Manatee County Extension, Pesticides, Thrips, UF/IFAS Extension
A close look at a female panther chameleon_ photo by Natalie Claunch

Scaring neighbors and causing community tension: Study uncovers cost of invasive chameleons

by Lourdes Mederos
July 22, 2025

When exotic chameleons creep into a suburban Florida neighborhood, they bring more than their color-changing charm. They can also spark confusion, curiosity and social chaos. A new study by scientists at the University of Florida Institute ... READ MORE

Category: , Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Central Florida, Chameleon, Diane Sturgeon, Exotic Pet Market, IFAS, Invasion Science Institute, Invasive Reptiles, Invasive Species, Invasive Species Management, Lourdes Mederos, News, Non-native Species, Orange County, Panther Chameleon, Public, Residential Neighborhood, Societal Effects, Society, Species, Species Introduction, Stakeholders, UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology And Conservation, University Of Florida, Warm Climate, Wildlife Managers, Wildlife Trade
Hand lens being used to view brown leaf spots on plant leaf

July Plant Clinic in Fort Walton Beach this Friday

by llw5479
July 16, 2025

The July Plant Clinic will be held 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, July 18 at the temporary UF/IFAS Extension Annex located at the Okaloosa Technical College (OTC) in Fort Walton Beach. The plant clinic is designed to provide a place and time ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Tags: Insect Identification, Plant Clinic, Plant Diagnostics, Soil Testing, Weed Identification

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