Tag: biocontrol

A ray of hope in the battle against citrus greening: Three bugs eat the eggs of the psyllid

by Brad Buck
April 21, 2026

A few tiny heroes may help fight Florida’s long-running battle against citrus greening disease. That’s good news for commercial growers as well as to residents who plant citrus trees in their yards at home, say University of Florida scientists. Researchers ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Home Landscapes, UF/IFAS
Tags: Asian Citrus Psyllid, Biocontrol, Biological Control, Citrus, Citrus Greening Disease, Dooryard Citrus, Eating, Eggs, Entomology, Field Testing, Growers, Home Citrus, Huanglongbing (HLB), Jawwad Qureshi, Laboratory, Larvae, North Florida Research And Education Center, Predator, Romain Exilien, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Xavier Martini

Can two native wasps help regulate invasive leafhopper populations attacking Florida’s crops?

by Lourdes Mederos
March 19, 2026

Most people retreat at the sight of a wasp, yet University of Florida researchers’ discovery of two newly identified tiny native wasps targeting an invasive pest that threatened Florida agriculture may be a hopeful sign for growers. In ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Acarology, Agriculture, Alexandra Revynthi, Anagrus Sp. Near Vulneratus, Anagrus Vulneratus, Beneficial Pests, Biocontrol, Biological Control, Chemical Inputs, Cotton, Eggplant, Entomology And Nematology, High-value Crops, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Integrated Pest Management, News, Okra, Ornamental Entomology, Pest, Roselle, Spanish, Sunflower, Tropical Hibiscus, Two-spot Cotton Leafhopper, UF-IFAS, Wasp

A fond farewell to our sixth IRREC Director, Dr. Ronald D. Cave

by Robin Koestoyo
May 29, 2024

We honor our leader, Dr. Ronald D. Cave, for eight years of IRREC leadership, and 22 years of service to agricultural and natural resources For his leadership to inspire a team of scientists who publish in the most prestigious journals ... READ MORE

Category: Events,
Tags: #BiologicalControl, #invasivespecies, #J.O.Westwood, #UFIFASNormanCHayslipBiologicalControlContainmentLab, Biocontrol, Entomology, Royal Entomological Society

Leap into Learning: Flea Beetles

by Jackie Lebouitz
February 27, 2024

The daytime call of birdsong heralds our gentle transition into the spring season. Light rainstorms ensure that our soils are saturated and that our plants are nourished. The sun's rays work in tandem to encourage the emergence of fresh, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Wildlife
Tags: Beetle, Biocontrol, Control, Damage, Ecofriendly, Entomology, Flea, Insects, Pests, Pgm_Chemicals, Plant

Bugs and Kisses: Spreading Love for Beneficials in the Landscape

by Bonnie Wells
February 9, 2024

'Tis the season of love, and amidst the heart hoopla, I am spreading my enduring affection for one of my favorite group of organisms: Bugs! But, before you cringe at the thought of all bugs as being pests, ravaging your roses or zesting your ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes
Tags: Agriculture, Beneficials, Biocontrol, Brevard County, Bugs, Horticulture, Insects, IPM, Landscape, Lawn, Lawns, Love, Natural Enemies, Ornaental Plants, Pest Management, Pests, Turf, Turfgrass, Valentine’s

Spring is Here, and So are the Bugs.

by Alyssa Vinson
March 30, 2023

How riotous the morning, draped in silver and pomegranate, new shoots gasping forth from soil tended carefully. Buds on branches swell and burst with leaves fresh and trembling in their newness. A haze of moisture in the morning air left staggering ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Aphids, Beneficial Insects, Biocontrol, Featured Hot Topic, Florida Friendly Landscape, Florida Gardens, Insects, Ladybugs

UF/IFAS invasion science leader visits biocontrol lab as part of National Invasion Species Awareness Week

by Robin Koestoyo
February 23, 2023

FORT PIERCE, Fla.---To usher in National Invasive Species Awareness Week, scientists in Florida—the epicenter of invasive plant and insect infestations—will host Matthew Thomas, a leader who was hired to head the more than 120 ... READ MORE

Category: Events, Invasive Species, UF/IFAS Research,
Tags: #MinteerLab, #NISAW2023, #QuinnLab, #UFBiocontrol, Biocontrol

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