UF/IFAS GLOBAL BLOGS
Wanted: Air Potato Beetles As the summer season begins to dwindle, requests continue to meander into the UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County’s Master Gardener Plant Clinic for Air Potato Beetles. Why would someone request a beetle? These beetles (Lilioceris… Read More
An invasive plant is a nonnative plant that spreads rapidly and can cause harm to the environment, economy, and human health. Unlike native plants, nonnative plants are not originally from this area. Without proper management, invasive plants can… Read More
This is a post by UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology graduate student, Patricia Prade, Dr. Carey Minteer, and Dr. Adam Dale. Have you ever asked yourself why there are so many invasive plant species around if we have so many… Read More
By Dr. Christopher Kerr1 and Dr. Carey Minteer2 1: Division of Plant Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Gainesville FL 2: University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Indian Rover Research and Education Center,… Read More
Air potato is one of Florida’s most problematic invasive plants. The air potato leaf beetle is a small but formidable enemy of this invasive plant. The insect is bright red, about the size of a pinky fingernail,… Read More
From the desk of the UF/IFAS researcher, here is the latest pointers for Brazilian Pepper Tree Control. How does Brazilian Pepper impact the environment? Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia, a relative of poison ivy, is one of the most… Read More
As spring approaches, we should all be aware that our pest problems will reappear. There are many types of pests to consider: insects, weeds, nematodes, and even some vertebrate species (such as the Cuban tree frog). When combined… Read More
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Hungry Formosan termites farm antibiotics from their homes, which they make from their own recycled fecal waste, new University of Florida research shows. These beneficial bacteria make the destructive bugs immune to natural control methods…. Read More
I’m not sure about everyone else, but I have some favorite insects I encounter a lot around the garden. Most of these are ones that I see at work to help make the landscape work better such as… Read More
A note on the Chinese Tallow Flea Beetle from Dr. William Kern, UF/IFAS Associate professor: I hope to offer a reasonable argument why Florida Beekeepers should support the release of the Chinese tallow flea beetle, Bikasha collaris (Coleoptera:… Read More
