Above: A regal jumping spider at rest between jumps. UF/IFAS photo by Lyle Buss. Even if you don’t like spiders, you have to admit that jumping spiders are kind of cute (possibly even very cute). Florida is home to a few species of jumping ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease
Above: Ladybugs are often associated with biocontrol because they eat aphids. UF/IFAS photo by Tyler Jones. The term biocontrol is short for biological control. Biological control is a way of controlling pests with their natural enemies. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Above: With their unique crest, wheel bugs are hard to miss. UF/IFAS photo by Lyle Buss. Whether you’re a human or an insect, you probably don’t want to mess with the wheel bug. Known for its wheel-shaped crest, this bug’s bite (actually ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Are you seeing fantastic creatures that are the stuff of nightmares (or an entomologists day dreams)? We all have had these moments and can often be surprised by how small some of these so called evil creatures are. We have compiled for you ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Above: Diadegma insulare, a kind of parasitoid wasp. UF/IFAS photo by Lyle Buss. Parasitoids are like parasites in that they live on or inside of another organism, called a host. However, unlike parasites, parasitoids ultimately kill their ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease
Above: An adult green lacewing. Lacewing larvae, not adults, are used in biocontrol. UF/IFAS entomology and nematology photo. Before a green lacewing gets its large delicate wings, it starts off as a larva. These larvae hatch from eggs the ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
Above: A green lacewing larva catches a spider mite. UF/IFAS photo by Lyle Buss. A predator is an organism that eats multiple organisms (prey) throughout its lifetime. Predators of pests are often used in biological control. Spiders, lacewing ... READ MORE
Category: Pests & Disease
Above: Hover flies are useful in biological control because their young (larvae) love to eat aphids, which are a pest. UF/IFAS photo by Paul Choate. Have you ever seen something flying around that had black and yellow stripes like a bee but ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Pests & Disease
This is a guest post by Lauren Webb, a research assistant in the Dale Lab in the UF/IFAS Entomology & Nematology Department. Have you ever seen a wasp nearly the length of a large paperclip? Perhaps on the ground or flying around? Maybe ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, WildlifeMyra said she spotted this bug in her pasture and expressed concern over the safety of her horses. View the photo on Instagram here. Question: Is this bug harmful to horses, and what are ways to control it? Answer: Planthopper or leafhopper Lyle ... READ MORE
Category: UF/IFAS Extension