Category: Pests & Disease

Expert entomologist inducted into Integrated Pest Management Hall of Fame

by Stella Canfield
July 13, 2026

Lance Osborne at the UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center has been inducted into the 2026 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Hall of Fame by the Southern IPM Center. As one of three selected for the honor, the award recognizes Osborne’s ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Award, Biological Control, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, IPM Hall Of Fame, Lance Osborne, Southern IPM Center

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

UF/IFAS researchers work to advance grapevine health, helping California’s wine industry

by Stella Canfield
January 15, 2025

UF/IFAS researchers are tackling a critical challenge: protecting California’s $73 billion wine and wine grape industry. Grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD) and grapevine leafroll disease (GLD), caused by complex insect vector-borne viruses, ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Kirsten Pelz-Stelinski, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, MREC, National Academy Of Sciences, Ozgur Batuman, Research, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Wine

Halloween with a Horticultural Twist: Spider Mites and Poison Ivy

by Stella Canfield
October 31, 2024

Halloween is a time for ghosts, ghouls and goblins, but the real fright might be lurking right under your nose. From destructive pests to dangerous weeds, these formidable foes can transform your greenery into a gruesome graveyard. Fangs ... READ MORE

Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Chris Marble, Entomology, Halloween, Herbicide, Horticulture, Lance Osborne, Landscape Weeds, Pests, Poison Ivy, Spider Mites, Weed Identification, Weeds

Scientists warn of invasive plant pest; say early detection, reporting key

by Tory Moore
March 29, 2023

An invasive thrips species has started to wreak havoc in Florida. The insect was first detected in Florida in 2020 but has since spread significantly across the state. What once was isolated to greenhouses now has begun to harm a wide range ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, HOME LANDSCAPES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Pests, Gardening, Invasive, Invasive Pests, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, Ornamental Plant Industry, Ornamental Plants, Ornamentals, Pest, Pest Control, Pest Management, Pests, Thrips, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center

Banker plants effective for managing thrips on roses

by Tory Moore
November 22, 2022

Chilli thrips are a nuisance to rose growers, as their feeding causes foliar and flower damage. For the first time, UF/IFAS researchers investigated the utility of a banker plant system for managing chilli thrips on roses. Recently published ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Banker Plants, Biological Control, Chilli Thrips, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Entomology, Entomology And Nematology, Mid-Florida Research And Education Center, Predatory Mites, Thrips, UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research And Education Center

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