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Category: Pests & Disease

image - FLREC assistant professor of nematology Abolfazl Hajihassani

UF/IFAS scientist battles ‘hidden enemies’ in South Florida’s soil

by Lourdes Mederos
March 6, 2022

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla – When it comes to soil, Abolfazl "Abi" Hajihassani can give South Florida growers the scoop nematodes and more. As the newest member of UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, the assistant professor ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Abolfazl "Abi" Hajihassani, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Fruit Crops, Nematodes, Ornamental Plant Industry, Research, Root-knot Nematodes, Soil, Soil Microbes, Soil Science, South Florida, UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center

UF/IFAS, SFWMD ask residents to identify, report invasive snakes

by Lourdes Mederos
March 2, 2022

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla – Non-native snakes in Florida are spreading and growing in population. Some are considered invasive, threatening Florida’s environment, native wildlife, economy and public health, according to scientists at the University ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Anaconda, Burmese Python, Common Boa, CROC Docs, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Frank Mazotti, Invasive Snakes, Ivegot1.org, Melissa Miller, Native Snakes, Northern African Python, Snakes, South Florida Water Management District, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center

Mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus love to bite non-native lizards: What’s next?

by Lourdes Mederos
February 20, 2022

West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus circulate among wild birds via mosquitoes, occasionally spilling over to infect humans, horses and other animals.  New research finds that some of the primary vectors of West Nile and ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Culex Nigripalpus, Entomology And Nematology, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Florida Mosquito COntrol Districts, Lawrence Reeves, Mosquito Research, News, St. Louis Encephalitis, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, West Nile Virus
pesticide applicator

Florida pesticide applicators can now take licensing exams online

by Samantha Murray
January 25, 2022

In Florida, pesticide licensing exams help ensure the state’s approximately 70,000 pesticide applicators follow state regulations and best practices for mitigating the impact of chemicals on the environment. Historically, the exam has only ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, HOME LANDSCAPES, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Brett Bultemeier, News, Pesticide Information Office
Image - Braham Dhillon of UF IFAS FLREC examines a palm front

UF/IFAS experts address palm pest spreading into two additional South Florida counties- February 9

by Lourdes Mederos
January 23, 2022

MIAMI-DADE, Fla –  University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is holding a free webinar on Phantasma scale, a pest affecting palms and other ornamental plants detected late last year in St. Lucie and Martin counties. In ... READ MORE

Category: HOME LANDSCAPES, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: FDACS ARS, Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services, Phantasma Scale, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Martin County, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, UF/IFAS Extension Palm Beach County, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County

Hibiscus flowers not flowering? Scout for the hibiscus bud weevil, UF IFAS scientists suggest

by Lourdes Mederos
December 16, 2021

Hibiscus shrubs are attractive and hardy-flowering, typically used in a variety of landscapes. They are known for reaching up to 15 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide. Many hibiscus species are native to Florida, producing oversized flowers ... READ MORE

Category: Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Alexandra Revynthi, Edis, FDACS, Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumer Services, Florida Department Of Agriculture And Consumers Sciences €“ Division Of Plant Industry, Hibiscus, Hibiscus Bud Weevil, Miami Dade, Painted Lady, Sunny Yellow, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF IFAS News, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center

University of Florida faculty joins national team awarded $7.5M USDA-NIFA grant

by Lourdes Mederos
November 30, 2021

Apple and pecan orchards are growing vulnerable to nonnative ambrosia beetles. Often considered as invasive pests, these groups of beetles cultivate and rely on ambrosia fungi for nutrition. The ambrosia beetles, which make up more than ... READ MORE

Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Ambrosia Beetle, Romina Gazis, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center, United States Department Of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS), USDA-NIFA
image - Abdullah Alomar is a doctoral candidate at Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory who led a story on insecticide resistance in juvenile Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and impacts on Zika transmission rates.

Insecticide targeting juvenile mosquitoes can enhance Zika transmissions

by Lourdes Mederos
November 4, 2021

Insecticide resistance among the Aedes aegypti mosquito remains a source of frustration for public health and mosquito control agencies, medical entomologists and ecologists. Known as the yellow fever mosquito, this species poses a public ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Abdullah Alomar, Aedes Aegypti, Barry Alto, Entomology And Nematology, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Mosquito, Mosquito Research, UF IFAS News, UF/IFAS

Termite study: Scientists zero in on how termites coordinate mating behavior for colony success

by Lourdes Mederos
October 4, 2021

Termites cause $5 billion a year in damage to structures across America. They are social insects that thrive through group living in colonies. To get a closer look at how termites coordinate their behaviors and movements enroute to successfully ... READ MORE

Category: Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termites, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF IFAS News, UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research Education Center, University Of Alabama

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