October 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

Recap of October 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

This month, we explored some small but mighty plant pests: whiteflies, aphids, psyllids, leafhoppers, and planthoppers. These insects feed by sucking sap from plants. Many also leave behind sticky honeydew, which can lead to black sooty mold that blocks sunlight and slows plant growth. While some cause damage directly, others spread plant diseases that are even more harmful.

Here in Florida, we already deal with pests like the Asian citrus psyllid, coriander aphid, Bondar’s nesting whitefly, Ficus whitefly, and rugose spiraling whitefly. While they aren’t originally from Florida, these species were introduced to the state. These insects affect everything from backyard herbs to ornamental plants to our citrus groves depending on the species.

We also want to spread the news about the recently detected two-spot cotton leafhopper. This pest can cause serious damage to cotton, okra, eggplant, peanut, roselle and other crops. If you think you found this pest, please reach out to your local county extension office.

We are also keeping an eye out for other invasive species not yet found in Florida, such as the spotted lanternfly, potato psyllid, orange spiny whitefly, Ligurian leafhopper, and small brown planthopper. If introduced, these insects could cause serious problems for agriculture and landscapes.

The best defense is early detection and prevention. You can help by watching for unusual insects or plant damage and submitting samples of suspect pests. Together, we can help protect Florida’s gardens, farms, and natural areas from these invasive threats.

Resources on Invasive whiteflies, aphids, psyllids and more

Want to watch the recording?

What is the upcoming schedule?

We are meeting online via Zoom from 12:00PM-1:00PM on the First Friday of every month from Sept 2022-Aug 2026. Maybe longer too! Please visit this blog for registration information and the upcoming schedule for Sept. 2025-2026.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Morgan Pinkerton, morgan0402@ufl.edu

Visit the Florida First Detector Website