Category: Natural Resources

A view of a piece of wood infested by subterranean termites.

New study shows invasive termites threatening homes in Florida are spreading farther than predicted

by Lourdes Mederos
February 4, 2026

Highlights A new study from the University of Florida has found that two highly destructive invasive termite species have spread well beyond South Florida and are now threatening homes and buildings across much of the state. Decades ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termite, Chouvenc, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termite, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasive Species, News, Pest Control, Spread, Study, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, University Of Florida Termite Collection
Close-up view of healthy green celery plants growing in rows in a cultivated field

Aprovechamiento de la inteligencia artificial y las imágenes de drones para detectar de forma temprana enfermedades costosas del apio

by Luz Bahder
January 29, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Científicos de University of Florida están poniendo en marcha un nuevo proyecto de investigación, financiado mediante ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: 26 De Febrero, Agricultores, Agricultura, Agricultura Inteligente, Apio, Área Agrícola De Los Everglades, Cámaras Multiespectrales, Centro De Investigación Y Educación Everglades (EREC), Clima, Cultivo, Detección Temprana De Enfermedades, Drones, Ecosistema, Enfermedad Del Tizón Por Cercospora, Enfremedad, Espanol, Especialistas De Extensión De UF/IFAS, Everglades, Everglades Agricultural Area, Experimentos De Campo, Fumigacion, Fungicidas, IA, Imágenes, Inteligencia Artificial, Investigacion, Jornada De Campo, Katia Viana Xavier, Lechuga, Monitoreo, Productores´, Programa De Investigación Y Educación En Agricultura Sostenible Del Sur, Riesgo De Enfermedades, Salud De Las Plantas, Señales Sutiles De Estrés, Sistema De Drones, Southern SARE, Spanish, Subvencion, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS)
Close-up of a Florida burrowing owl with bright yellow eyes and speckled brown and white feathers, standing near the entrance of its burrow in the ground.

Descubriendo la Vida Silvestre: ¡Los búhos llaneros de Florida han regresado! Aprenda a convivir con ellos con la guía bilingüe de Ask IFAS

by Luz Bahder
January 21, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Acerca de esta serie A medida que el desarrollo residencial y comercial continúa expandiéndose en toda Florida, ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Ask IFAS, Ask IFAS En Español, Convivencia, Decoraciones, Depredadores, Espanol, Fauna Silvestre, Hoja Informativa Sobre La Vida Silvestre De Florida: El Búho Llanero, Madrigueras, Madrigueras Abandonadas, Oficina Del Censo De Los Estados Unidos, Perchas, Publicación De Ask IFAS, Spanish, Subespecie, Temporada De Anidación, Temporada De Reproduccion, UF/IFAS, Vegetación, Wildlife Watch, Wildlife Watch En Espanol
burrowing_owls_credit_Brittany_Mason (1) blog

Wildlife Watch: Florida’s burrowing owls are back! Get wise about living with them using Ask IFAS’ bilingual guide

by Lourdes Mederos
January 21, 2026

About this series As residential and commercial development continues to expand across Florida, wildlife is adapting to live closer to people. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) shares ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Conservation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Adapting, Ask IFAS, Breeding Season, Burrowing Owl, Burrows, Coexistence With Wildlife, Ecosystem, Edis, Factsheet, Land Use, Native Birds, Nature, Nesting Season, Nonmigratory, Predators, Prey, Protected Birds, Protected Species, Protected Wildlife, Spanish, Sustained Residential Growth, Urban Sprawl, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Habitat
Florida Friendly Landscaping (FFL) at Malachowsky Hall. Photo taken 11-10-25

Starting Jan. 27: Learn how climate-smart living works in Florida with statewide lunch-and-learn series

by Lourdes Mederos
January 20, 2026

What does climate-smart living look like in Florida? It means adopting everyday habits, like the way residents use water and energy at home, make food choices and how they care for their landscapes, which are all guided by climate science ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, EVENTS, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Climate Literacy, Climate Masters, Climate Science, Climate Smart Floridians, Climate-smart Landscape, Ecosystem Health, Ecosystem Rescilience, Energy, Environment, Environmental Benefits, Florida Friendly Landscape, Florida Sea Grant Climate Work Action Team, Food Consumption Waste, Household-level Greenhouse Gas, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Reduce Waste, Solar, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center, Water, Water Conservation
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a genus of flowering plants.

Pivotal study unlocks secrets of the invasive short-spined thrips

by Lourdes Mederos
January 6, 2026

Highlights Short-spined thrips are devastating ornamentals and crops worldwide, thriving in South Florida’s warm climate and spreading fast. In a novel study, UF/IFAS researchers mapped the pest’s biology life cycle, reproduction ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Acarology, Alexandra Revynthi, Beans, Beneficial, Beneficial Bugs, Beneficial Nematodes, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Eggplants, Entomology And Nematology, Gardenias, Gardens, Growers, Hibiscus, Homeowners, Integrated Pes Management, Invasive, Invasive Insect, Ipm, Mandevillas, Nematodes, News, Nurseries, Ornamental, Ornamental Entomology, Ornamental Plants, Peppers, Plant Pathology, Sanitation, Sanitation Practices, Short-spined Thrips, Thrips, Thrips Parvispinus, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida

Have 2026 resolutions? Here is how to make them stick

by Lourdes Mederos
December 16, 2025

Every January, millions set ambitious wellness resolutions only to abandon them within weeks. In fact, the second Friday of January is known as Quitter’s Day, a reminder of how quickly good intentions fade. For 2026, we turn to Jessica ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Box Breathing, Consistency, Family And Consumer Sciences, Goals, Habit, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jessica Alfonso- Rodriguez, Mindful Moment, Mindfullness, Plan, Progress, Quitter's Day, Resolutions, Routine, SMART Objectives, Sustainability, Track, UF IFAS Family And Consumer Sciences, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida, Wellness Resolutions

Through A Land Remembered, state’s fourth graders discover harsh conditions of pioneer life in Florida

by Brad Buck
December 9, 2025

Imagine 19th century Florida: sweltering heat with no air conditioning, swarms of mosquitoes, nights lit only by campfires and the harsh reality that any meat on your plate had to be hunted and killed by you. These gritty details aren’t ... READ MORE

Category: Curriculum, UF/IFAS, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: A Land Remembered, Agriculture, Bridget Stice, English & Language Arts, Fourth-grade Students, Historical Novel, Pioneers, Social Studies And Science Learning Standards., Spook Hill Elementary School, UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
This photo is a specimen shot of Cryptotermes mobydicki - a new termite species that is wood dwelling found in the rainforests of French Guiana.

New Moby Dick-like termite species discovered

by Lourdes Mederos
December 4, 2025

In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features. Cryptotermes mobydicki, the name given to the termite by the international research team ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Colombia, Cryptotermes, Cryptotermes Mobydicki, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Discovery, Dominican Republic, Entomology, Evolutionary Story, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, French Guiana, Genus, Herman Melville, International Entomologists, Moby Dick, Neotropical, New Termite Species, News, Rainforest, Rudolf Scheffrahn, Soldier, Soldier Termite, South American Rainforest, Species, Sperm Whale, Termites, Trinidad, UF/IFAS, ZooKeys

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