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Category: Pests & Disease

Dirt mounds indicate a ground nesting bee or wasp is present. Photo credit: Anne Yasalonis, UF/IFAS Extension

Bees and Wasps: What to know and when to be concerned

by Anne Yasalonis
November 4, 2020

There has been a lot of publicity surrounding the Asian giant hornet in the United States, but as of today, the hornets (Vespa mandarinia) have only been found in Washington state. Of course, insects can be transported across state lines ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Asian Giant Hornet, Ayasalonis, Bees, Central Florida, Cicada Killer Wasp, Commonly Confused, Dirt Mounds, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Murder Hornet, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg, Wasps, Wildlife, Yellowjacket
Your Polk Yard, Guide and Journal cover photo

Garden Guide and Journal Available for Sale

by Anne Yasalonis
September 2, 2020

How do you plan your garden and landscape for the upcoming season? Do you need a place to refer to for monthly tips and to record garden successes (and failures)? The Your Polk Yard, a 12-Month Garden Guide & Journal is just what ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Garden Guide, Garden Journal, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Plants, Polkgardening, Polkmg, Vegetable Gardening
spanish moth caterpillar

Don’t Let the Summer Heat Bug You

by polkmg
June 16, 2020

Summer rains have begun. It is hot, muggy and buggy, and to top it all off, the chances of plant disease increases during our rainy season. While this may all seem overwhelming, there are ways to control and even prevent damage to your plants ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Plants, Insects, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Pest Management, Pests, Plant Disease, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg
Bromeliad bloom holding water

Mosquitoes in and around your home

by Anne Yasalonis
May 27, 2020

The arrival of summer temperatures and summer rainfall bring to mind another of our summer arrivals: mosquitoes. These pesky insects are a reality to residents of Florida, and questions associated with disease spread and the best repellents ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, , Wildlife
Tags: Anne Yasalonis, Ayasalonis, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Plants, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mosquitoes, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg
spanish moth caterpillar

A New Caterpillar in the Garden? First Step, Identification!

by polkmg
March 30, 2020

Recently, I was thrilled to see a new caterpillar in my garden. I have many host plants for butterfly larva and was excited to find out what it was. It was a pretty caterpillar. Would it be a pretty butterfly? Had my green shrimp plants finally ... READ MORE

Category: Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease
Tags: Amaryllis, Ayasalonis, Butterflies, Central Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Master Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteer, Polk County, Polkgardening, Polkmg

COVID-19 and UF/IFAS Extension

by Nick Place
March 15, 2020

Updated 03/16/20 As we continue to monitor COVID-19 in Florida, I wanted to take a moment to update our UF/IFAS Extension community about our current status, best practices and next steps. Please call your local UF/IFAS Extension office ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Camp, Clubs & Volunteers, Coasts & Marine, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Crops, Curriculum, Disaster Preparation, Events, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Livestock, Money Matters, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Recreation, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, , Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: COVID-19, Featured Hot Topic, Hot Topic
Several adult individuals, Glyptotendipes paripes, one of the species commonly referred to as "Blind mosquitoes.

Aquatic Midges, also known as “Blind Mosquitoes”

by Shannon Carnevale
October 11, 2017

Blind mosquitoes are a type of freshwater midge. This particular type of midge does not bite, suck blood, or carry diseases. However, blind mosquitoes can still be a nuisance and their populations are often extremely difficult to manage. Read ... READ MORE

Category: Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Water
Tags: Aquatic Midges, Blind Mosquitoes, Freshwater Midges, Midges, Mosquitoes, Paxton Evans, Shannon Carnevale

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