Category: Invasive Species

Dr. Donald Behringer Receives Fulbright Award to Teach Aquatic Disease Ecology in Croatia


January 9, 2025

FFGS is pleased to announce that Dr. Donald Behringer, Professor of Marine and Disease Ecology, was named a 2025 Fulbright Specialist. The Fulbright Specialist Program promotes biology education around the world by establishing relationships ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Water
Tags: Aquatic Disease Ecology, Awards, Emerging Pathogens Institute, Florida Sea Grant, Freshwater Ecology, Marine Ecology
A closeup of an Asian swamp eel. Photo Courtesy USGS.

Public urged to report invasive Asian swamp eel species in Florida


January 9, 2025

The University of Florida, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies, encourages the public to report sightings of the invasive Asian swamp eel, detected in Florida’s waterways over ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: 888-Ive-Got-1, Asian Swamp Eels, Climate Change, Ecosystems, EDDMaps, Florida, Florida Waterways, FWC, Georgia, Hawaii, Highly Adaptable, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion Science Research Initiative, Invasive, Invasive Species, ISRI, News, Opportunistic Feeders, Paul Evans, UF-IFAS, Water, Wildlife Ecology And Conservation
Florida with magnifying glass and insect

January 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector


January 6, 2025

Recap of January 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector In this month's webinar, we covered invasive caterpillars that feed on vegetable crops. Florida's agriculture industry is home to a wide variety of high value vegetable production. ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biosecurity, Caterpillars, FFD24-25, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, Lepidoptera, Moths, Old World Bollworm, Vegetables

Florida Land Steward Update, December 18, 2024


December 18, 2024

SEASON’S GREETINGS! On behalf of all the Florida Land Steward partners we wish you and yours a very festive, peaceful, and safe Holiday season. A huge THANKS to all the partners and landowners who participated in the many events taking place ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: 2025 Calendar, Christmas Trees, Conservation Easements, Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Management, Hurricane Recovery, Longleaf Pine, Online Course, Prescribed Fires, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm

UF/IFAS CAIP Graduate Students Present on Invasives and Plant ID for FL DEP


December 16, 2024

How do invasive plants affect wetlands? How can I properly identify invasive plants in the field? UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants (CAIP) graduate students, Patrick Belk and Ian Talty, recently presented the answers to these ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: CAIP, Center For Aquatic And Invasive Plants, Invasive Plant Management, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Turning Science Into Solutions, UF/IFAS CAIP
Avocados growing on a tree. Avocado fruit. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

UF/IFAS team secures $5M USDA grant to expand avocado production into Central Florida, combat Laurel wilt disease


December 12, 2024

Scientists with the University of Florida have secured a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to combat the lethal Laurel wilt disease and the redbay ambrosia beetles responsible ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Events, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Pests, Avocado, Avocado Cultivation, California, Climate Change, Diseases, Florida Avocado, Florida Crops, Florida Economy, Growth, Insects, Jeffrey Rollins, Jonathan Crane, Kentucky, Laurel Wilt, Mexico, Miami-Dade County, Mitigation Strategies, Nifa, Pests, Red Ambrosia Beetle, Redbay Ambrosia Beetle, Research, Sustainability, Tropical Research And Education Center, U.S. Department Of Agriculture, USDA, USDA National Institute Of Food And Agriculture, USDA-NIFA, Workshop

Weekly “What is it?”: Venetian Crabs


December 11, 2024

If you live near or visit the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico coasts, odds are you’re a fan of the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). Fried or steamed legs and claws, crabcakes, entire softshell crabs—that sweet crab meet is delicious ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Coastal Wildlife, Edibles, Habitat Conservation, Invasive Species, Weekly What Is It
Florida with magnifying glass and insect

December 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector


December 9, 2024

Recap of December 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector We finished out the calendar year talking about stink bugs and related insects. We focused on invasive insects in the subfamily Heteroptera. The subfamily Heteroptera includes ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bagrada, Biosecurity, FFD24-25, FloridaFirstDetector, Fruit, Hemiptera, Invasive Species, Sample Submission, Spotted Lantern Fly, Stink Bug

Ambrosia Beetles: Small Insects, Big Impact


December 6, 2024

Ambrosia beetles are small, yet impactful, insects in Florida, playing both beneficial and harmful roles in local ecosystems. Our state is home to both native and invasive species, which aid in breaking down dead wood, contributing to nutrient ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Avocado Tree, Beetles, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Pests, Plant Pests, Sustainable Landscape, Tree Pests

Florida Land Steward Update, December 6, 2024


December 6, 2024

2024 ANNUAL SAND PINE CHRISTMAS TREE SALE AT LAKE WALES RIDGE STATE FOREST Cut your own Florida native sand pine Christmas tree on Lake Wales Ridge State Forest Arbuckle Tract. The date blocks when cutting will be permitted are Dec. 2 to Dec. ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: 2025 Calendar, Conservation Easements, Family Forest, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Management, Longleaf Pine, Natural Resources, Online Course, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Tree Farm

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