Tag: News

Flooded residential area with underwater houses from hurricane Debby rainfall water in Sarasota, Florida. Aftermath of natural disaster in southern USA. Adobe Stock File # 1947311237 By bilanol

Learn to safeguard your well water, septic system for storm season with this free UF/IFAS webinar series

by Lourdes Mederos
July 20, 2026

Many Floridians rely on private wells for drinking water and septic systems to treat household wastewater. Hurricanes, flooding and routine maintenance challenges can affect the safety and reliability of these systems. To help homeowners ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Events, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Andrea Albertin, Brain Health, Center For Land Use Efficiency, Drinking Water, Environment, Español, Flooding, Florida Well Owner Network, Health, Homeowner, Household Water Systems, Hurricanes, News, North Florida Research And Education Center, Safeguard, Septic System, Septic Tank, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, University Of Florida, Water, Wells, Yilin Zhuang

Yvonne‑Marie Linton Named Director of UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory 

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 15, 2026

Internationally respected mosquito- and vector-borne disease expert Yvonne-Marie Linton has been chosen as the new director for the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: AI Insect Identification, Biomedical Research, Blog Community, Chikungunya, Dengue Prevention, Disease Surveillance, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Entomology, Featured, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Florida Public Health, FMEL, Global Health, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Integrated Pest Management, Medical Entomology, Mosquito Prevention, Mosquito Research, Mosquito-borne Diseases, News, One Health, Oropouche Virus, Public Health Research, Smithsonian Institution, UF IFAS Research Leadership, Uf Research, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, University Of Florida, Vector Control, Vector-borne Diseases, Vero Beach Florida, Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, West Nile Virus, Yvonne-Marie Linton, Zika Virus Research
Featured image: Adobe Stock File 291720491: Fallen tree hurricane tornado storm devastation. By Noel.

July 23: Get storm-ready at UF/IFAS workshop for HOA leaders, arborists, landscape industry, homeowners

by Lourdes Mederos
July 13, 2026

One poorly maintained tree can cause thousands of dollars in damage during a hurricane, leaving homes and neighborhoods devastated. On July 23, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is hosting “Be ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Disaster Preparation, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Arborist, Commercial Landscape, Disaster Preparation, HOA, Homeowners, Horticultural Sciences, Hurricane, Hurricane Impacts, Hurricane Preparedness, Hurricane Ready, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Landscape Management, News, Nurseries, Residential Tree Trimming, Severe Weather, Storm Damage, Tree Damage, Tree Trimming, Trees, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida

PIE Center and Florida EDEN to Host Hurricane Readiness Webinar

by Karlibeth Leitheiser
June 25, 2026

On Aug. 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT, join us for an engaging webinar, titled "Tropical Season Readiness," featuring Angela “Angie” Enyedi, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida. ... READ MORE

Category: Events, UF/IFAS
Tags: Event, FL EDEN, Florida EDEN, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Season, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, News, PIE Center, Storm Season, Tropical Storm, UF-IFAS, UF/IFAS PIE Center, Webinar

Media Alert: UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center Hosts Blackberry Field Day

by Jamie Groh
June 11, 2026

What: UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center hosts a free blackberry field day to demonstrate production practices such as proper planting, pruning, and fertilization.  Where: UF/IFAS North Florida Research & Education ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Events, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Research, Backyard Gardening, Blackberry Field Day, Blackberry Production, Blog Community, Crop Management, Disease Management, Farming Education, Featured, Fertilization Practices, Florida Agriculture, Florida Growers, Horticulture, News, NFREC, NFREC-Q, North Florida REC, Plant Breeding, Pruning Techniques, Quincy, Quincy Florida Events, Small Fruit Crops, Specialty Crops, Sustainable Farming, UF Extension, UF-IFAS

Study finds early-life biological signals may predict obesity risk decades later

by Jamie Groh
June 10, 2026

Clues to who may develop obesity later in life can be found within the first year after birth, according to new long-term research and co-authored by University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences experts.   The ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS
Tags: Angelica Ahrens, Biomarkers, Blog Community, Childhood Obesity, Department Of Microbiology And Cell Science, Early Childhood Development, Featured, Gut Microbiome, Infant Health, Long-term Cohort Study, Machine Learning Health, Metabolic Health, Microbiology Research, News, Obesity Research, Pediatric Health, Preventive Health, Public Health, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Research
A brown and white cow stands in a field filled with small white flowers, facing the camera, with a line of trees in the background under soft natural light.

$9.5 million gift boosts UF efforts to protect cattle from disease-carrying pests

by Jamie Groh
June 10, 2026

The University of Florida announced a $9.5 million estate gift establishing the Carrie W. Earls Mosquito and Pest Eradication in Beef Cattle Fund, supporting work across UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and College ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Research, Biting Flies, Blog Community, Cattle Research, College Of Veterinary Medicine, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Donor Gift, Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, Extension, Featured, Florida Agriculture, Livestock Health, Livestock Producers, Mosquitoes, News, Pest Management, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Veterinary Medicine
This image, featuring the heads of individuals from the soldier caste, is meant to highlight the similarities of appearance across both parental species, the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus), the Asian subterranean termite (Coptotermes gestroi), and hybrids. Visual identification of hybrid termites can only be done under magnification by experts that are familiar with identification characteristics. Submitting a sample to the UF/IFAS Termite ID Service (TermiteIDServices@ifas.ufl.edu) remains the best option to confirm any suspected samples. Credit: Thomas Chouvenc

Here’s what homeowners need to know about hybrid termites in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
June 8, 2026

Alarming reports of hybrid “super” termites have fueled misinformation, while flooding news outlets across the United States for months. University of Florida scientists are stepping in to help property owners separate fact from fiction. In ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termite, Ask IFAS, Coptotermes Formosanus, Coptotermes Gestroi, Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, Faith Oi, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Hybrid Termites, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Johnalyn Gordon, Nan-yao Su, News, Termite Damage, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida
A spectacled caiman juvenile. UF/IFAS Photo by Jemeema Carrigan

Invasive caiman may pose new challenges for Everglades restoration

by Lourdes Mederos
June 4, 2026

UF researchers pieced together the first comprehensive review of the spectacled caiman, a small invasive crocodile-like reptile. Introduced into South Florida more than 45 years ago, researchers have suspected caimans compete ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Colombia, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, Crocodilians, EDDMaps, Environmental DNA Tools, Español, Exotic Pet Trade, Guayana, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Species, Native Wildlife, News, Research, South Florida, Spectacled Caiman, The Croc Docs, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Wetland

Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories