Tag: Pests

April 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 6, 2026

Recap of April 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month, we explored several invasive pests that threaten pine forests. Florida has roughly 17 million acres of forestland, with a large portion dominated by pine species. Our ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Disease, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Forest, Pests, Pines, SeminoleCountyAg

UF/IFAS FNGLA Palm Quest 2026 to unveil next generation AI drone research tools for a changing industry on April 21-22

by Lourdes Mederos
March 26, 2026

From artificial intelligence that can diagnose palm diseases to drone technology tracking tree health from above, the Palm Quest 2026 Conference will spotlight the future of palm science when it returns to Fort Lauderdale April 21 to 22. Hosted ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: AI, AI-driven Palm Diagnostics, Artificial Intelligence, Disease, Drones, Ecosystem, Environmental Stressors, Florida, Florida's Ecosystem, Fungal Diseases, Fungal Pathogen, Mica McMillan, Native Palms, Palm Quest 2026, Palm Trees, Palm Varieties, Pests, Plant Health, Soil, Sustainability, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, Urban Environments

Papaya banker plant system strengthens biological control of whiteflies

by Stella Canfield
March 24, 2026

A new study finds that papaya banker plants can strengthen control of the sweet potato whitefly, one of the most damaging pests in ornamental crop production. Published in the journal “Biological Control,” the research highlights a promising ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Banker Plants, Biological Control, Cindy McKenzie, Lance Osborne, Papaya, Pests, Poinsettias, Whiteflies, Whitefly

Strengthening Honey Bee Colonies Through Queen Instrumental Insemination

by Amy Vu
March 5, 2026

Background Honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) continue to face significant losses, largely due to stressors like the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. While chemical treatments are commonly used to treat Varroa, growing resistance has made ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: #ufbugs, Bees, Entomology, Honey Bee, Honeybee, Pests, PolliNATION, UF-IFAS, UFHoneyBee, UFHoneyBeeLab, UFIFASExtension

Research Update: Evaluating the Toxicity of Known Western Honey Bee-Safe Insecticides in Controlling Small Hive Beetles (Aethina tumida)

by Amy Vu
March 3, 2026

Members of the UF/IFAS Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory conducted a research project evaluating the toxicity of pesticides on small hive beetles (SHBs) that have previously shown to have low toxicity to honey bees. Below is a summary ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: #ufbugs, Beekeeping, Bees, Entomology, Honey Bee, Honeybee, Pests, PolliNATION, UF-IFAS, UFHoneyBee, UFHoneyBeeLab, UFIFASExtension

Love your lychee tree? Ask IFAS bilingual resource offers guidance against a common pest

by Lourdes Mederos
February 26, 2026

Florida-grown lychee trees offer a taste of the tropics for home growers. Their berries deliver a sweet, rose-scented fruit with vitamin C-rich pulp and a vibrant color and flavor to fruit cups, cakes, mocktails, ice cream blends ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Home Landscapes, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Aceria Litchii, Archive, Ask IFAS, Berries, Bilingual Extension Document, Erinose Mite, Fruit, Invasive Species, Lychee Tree, National Invasive Species Awareness Week, Peer-reveiwed, Pests, Tropical Fruit Trees, Vitamin C

Harnessing AI with drone imagery to detect costly celery disease before symptoms surface

by Lourdes Mederos
January 29, 2026

University of Florida scientists are launching a new, grant-funded research project that uses artificial intelligence and drone technology to help Florida celery growers detect a damaging fungal disease before symptoms are visible — a ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Crops, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: AI, Artificial Intellgience, Blight Disease, Celery, Crop, Disease, Early Blight Disease, Everglades Agricultural Area, Everglades Research And Education Center, Florida Agriculture, Florida Economy, Fungus, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Katia Viana Xavier, Larissa Carvallo Ferriera, News, Pests, Plant Pathology, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida, Weather

Florida strawberry season bursts with sweetness

by Brad Buck
December 3, 2025

Florida’s late fall and winter don’t just bring cooler, less humid weather. The seasons bring the sweet burst of locally grown strawberries. Juicy, vibrant and fresh from the fields, these Sunshine State gems are waiting for you at your ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Archive, Aroma, Consumers, Diseases, Ember, Encore, Flavor, Florida Strawberry Season, Genetics, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Pests, Pineberry, Plant Breeding, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeder, Strawberry Season, Vance Whitaker

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