February 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

Recap of February 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

Fruit crops are a cornerstone of Florida’s agriculture industry, with the state ranking among the top producers of citrus, berries, melons, and other specialty fruits. Despite the ongoing challenges of citrus greening, citrus remains one of Florida’s most important crops. In this month’s First Friday webinar, we explored invasive pests that threaten fruit production and the steps being taken to manage them. We began by revisiting the Asian citrus psyllid and citrus greening disease, which continue to have a profound impact on citrus growers. The psyllid, first detected in Florida in 1998, is the vector for the bacterium that causes citrus greening, leading to bitter, misshapen fruit and eventual tree decline. Beyond citrus, other invasive pests have established themselves in Florida and are causing damage to fruit crops. The brown marmorated stink bug, first found in Florida in 2018, feeds on a wide range of fruits and ornamentals, while the spotted wing drosophila, detected in 2010, is a major pest of berries and stone fruits. Both species have contributed to economic losses for growers. We also discussed pests that have not yet been found in Florida but pose a serious risk if introduced. These include the citrus fruit borer and summer fruit tortrix, which attack a variety of fruit crops, and the lime swallowtail butterfly, a citrus pest recently detected in Key West with limited distribution. Monitoring these species is critical to prevent their spread. Invasive fruit flies remain one of the biggest concerns for Florida’s fruit industry. The Caribbean fruit fly is already established and difficult to manage, while other species such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, Oriental fruit fly, Mexican fruit fly, guava fruit fly, and peach fruit fly could cause devastating impacts if they were to establish here. These pests can lead to early fruit rot, unmarketable produce, and even complete crop losses in severe cases. For this reason, Florida maintains extensive monitoring and prevention programs to keep these species out. If you notice unusual pests or damage on your plants, especially something you haven’t seen before, contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. Early detection is key to stopping the spread of invasive species. By catching a new pest early, we may be able to eradicate it before it becomes a widespread problem.

Resources on invasive fruit flies

Resources on other invasive species on fruit

Resources on citrus and citrus greening

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 Or Visit the Florida First Detector Website