Featured image: Young explorers observing mushrooms with magnifying glass in forest. AdobeStock_ 1655868095 By Serhii, Photo used under license.

Don’t let the ‘summer slide’ slow down learning; experts share fun options to fuel young minds

by Lourdes Mederos
June 11, 2026

Summer break has arrived for kids. A time for fun, freedom and family vacation. It can also be a time when academic skills fade away. With nearly 3 million students enrolled in Florida public schools, University of Florida experts at ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Camp, Clubs & Volunteers, EVENTS, Professional Development, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H, 4-H Camp To Go, 4-H Programs, 4-H Summer Camps, Adventure, Adventures, Backyard Fun, Bonnie Wells, Citizen Science, David Hafner, Espanol, Exploring, Gardening, INaturalist App, Learning Opportunities, Lynsey Occenac, Outdoor Adventures, Science, Spanish, STEM, Summer, Summer Slide, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, UF/IFAS Extension Martin County, UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County, University Of Florida, Vacation, Young, Youth
Dos niños sentados en el suelo de un bosque iluminado por el sol, explorando la naturaleza; uno usa unos binoculares mientras el otro observa con curiosidad a su lado, ambos vestidos de manera casual y rodeados de árboles altos y hierba verde.

Evite el retroceso académico de verano con actividades divertidas recomendadas por expertos para mantener a los jóvenes aprendiendo y con la mente activa

by Luz Bahder
June 11, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Llegaron las vacaciones de verano para los niños, una temporada de diversión, relajación y paseos familiares. ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: 4-H, Actividades, Actividades De Verano, Bonnie Wells, Campamentos, CLOVER, David Hafner, De University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Espanol, Florida, Jovenes, Juvenil, Lynsey Occenac, Ninas, Ninos, Oficina Local De Extensión De UF/IFAS, Oportunidades De Aprendizaje, Pérdida De Aprendizaje Durante El Verano, Programa 4-H, Programas, Retroceso Académico De Verano, Spanish, Vacaciones De Verano, Verano

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, 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
Un bebe sostiene una cuchara cerca de su boca y sonríe a la cámara. El bebé se encuentra sobre un fondo verde rodeado de frutas y vegetales verdes, amarillos y anaranjados.

Un estudio identifica indicadores biológicos en la etapa temprana de la vida que podrían anticipar el riesgo de obesidad décadas más tarde

by Luz Bahder
June 10, 2026

Creado por Jamie Groh, especialista en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS. Según una nueva investigación a largo plazo realizada en colaboración con especialistas del University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Angelica Ahrens, Aprendizaje Automático, Bacterias Intestinales, Bebes, Bebés En Suecia, Cohorte, Detección Y La Prevención Tempranas, Espanol, Estilo De Vida, Estudio, Herencia Familiar, Indicadores Biológicos, Ingesta De Carbohidratos, Johnny Ludvigsson, Marcadores Biológicos, Monitoreo, Muestras De Sangre, Ninos, NVIDIA, Obesidad, Padres, Primer Año De Vida, Probabilidad De Desarrollar Obesidad, Riesgo De Obesidad, Salud, Sedentarismo, Señales Tempranas, Sociedad Estadounidense De Microbiología, Spanish, Suecia, Universidad De Linköping, Universidad De Linköping En Sueciai, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences

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, 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, 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
People observing an agricultural machine processing plants in a field.

Florida hops research offers a bright spot as craft beer market slows

by Brad Buck
June 10, 2026

Despite a recent softening in demand for craft beer, University of Florida experts say there’s reason for optimism – especially as researchers supply Florida-grown hops to the state’s brewers. At the June 2 Hops Field Day at ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness
Tags: Aroma, Brewers, Craft Beer, Flavor, Florida-grown Hops, Food And Resource Economics, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Hops, Market, Nathan Palardy, Plants, Production, Shinsuke Agehara, Trial

Study finds robotic mowers improve Florida lawn health while reducing maintenance

by Jamie Groh
June 9, 2026

For many Florida homeowners, lawn mowing can feel like a never-ending chore, especially in the heat of summer. New guidance from experts suggests autonomous or robotic lawn mowers can ease that burden while effectively managing ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Lawn, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Autonomous Mowers, Blog Community, Featured, Florida Homeowners, Florida Lawn Care, Lawn Maintenance Tips, Pest Resistant Lawns, Robotic Lawn Mowers, Smart Lawn Technology, St Augustine Grass, Sustainable Landscaping, Turfgrass Health, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, University Of Florida
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 Extension, 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

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