The very hungry caterpillar The tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) is not a worm. It is a caterpillar, a very hungry caterpillar. They are called hornworms because they have a harmless, red horn on their abdomen. These common garden pests are ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Wildlife
Twice a year, two seasons, two months of misery as we try our best to avoid hitting the clouds of lovebugs in our car’s path. Yes, it is that time of the year again when the well-known lovebugs are out in full force. What are they? Lovebugs ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Natural Resources
By Lee Hayes Byron (and son, Evan, 10 years old) UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County As our community is isolating at home, it is becoming ever more clear how important it is to spend time outside. In my family, we have been grateful for the ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources
Do you know the song, "The ants go marching one by one; hurrah, hurrah"? Picture in place of the ants, grasshoppers. Not just any grasshopper, but the Eastern lubber grasshopper, Romalea microptera. If you have ever had the opportunity to cross ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf
Being inside the home for an extended time, I am sure most of us have cleaned an already clean countertop just to make sure we didn’t miss any germs the first, second, or third time! There is nothing wrong with wiping germs away, but while ... READ MORE
Category: Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Have you been wondering about mosquitoes and the role they play in vectoring diseases, especially coronavirus/COVID-19? Well, they happen to take the dubious title of the deadliest animal on the planet, because of their ability to transmit many ... READ MORE
Category: Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease
Although mosquitoes are the first insect we think of when talking blood-feeding insects- there are a few others that can make our skin crawl at the thought of them on us or in our homes. The insects discussed below are little insect vampires ... READ MORE
Category: Livestock, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & LifeOf the one million identified insect species worldwide, less than 1% are considered true pests. Those pest insects are either harmful to us, to our food crops, or to our homes. They can also cause aesthetic damage. To break it down further, ... READ MORE
Category: Health & Nutrition, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, Water, Wildlife
Summer is the season… for checking landscape plants for insects before they devour your plants with their ravenous appetite. Conservative estimates state there are over 12,000 species of insects in Florida, so it’s no wonder your hibiscus ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
“It’s a buggy world” is a sentiment that definitely rings true here in the sunshine state. With a conservative estimate of over 12,000 species of insects in Florida, there seems to be six-legged critters everywhere you look. Have you ever ... READ MORE
Category: Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Turf, Wildlife, Work & Life