Category: Professional Development

November 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
November 9, 2026

Recap of November 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month, we explored invasive fruit flies. When most people hear "fruit fly," they think of the tiny flies hovering around overripe bananas. However, true fruit flies ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Biosecurity, Citrus, Early Detection, FFD26-27, FloridaFirstDetector, Fruit, Fruit Flies, Invasive Species, SeminoleCountyAg

October 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
October 5, 2026

Recap of October 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector October may be known for spooky stories and mysterious creatures, but it is also a great time to talk about something that can be truly frightening for Florida's agriculture ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, FFD26-27, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, Sample Submission, SeminoleCountyAg

August 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
August 10, 2026

Recap of August 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector In August, we highlighted invasive pests of ornamental plants during our Final Friday webinar. While we covered a lot of key concepts as this topic is vast, especially in Florida, ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Forests, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, First Fridays, FloridaFirstDetector, Flowers, Invasive Species, Ornamental Plants, SeminoleCountyAg

First Fridays with Florida First Detector, Schedule available Sept 2026-2027!

by Morgan Pinkerton
June 15, 2026

What is Florida First Detector? Florida First Detector is a multiagency educational effort focused on enhancing the early detection of invasive pests that threaten agriculture, nursery industries, and natural areas. We offer in-person and ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biosecurity, Eradication, FFD26-27, Florida First Detector, FloridaFirstDetector, Invasive Species, Plant Protection, Quarantine, SeminoleCountyAg

June 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
June 8, 2026

Recap of June 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector Snails and slugs are gastropods which are types of mollusks found around the world. While they are closely related, they look quite different. Snails are easily recognized by their ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Giant African Land Snail, SeminoleCountyAg, Snails

May 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
May 4, 2026

Recap of May 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector In May, we dove into the basics of nematodes. While many nematodes are free-living and play beneficial roles in soil ecosystems, others are parasitic and can cause significant damage ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Nematodes, SeminoleCountyAg

April 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
April 6, 2026

Recap of April 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month, we explored several invasive pests that threaten pine forests. Florida has roughly 17 million acres of forestland, with a large portion dominated by pine species. Our ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Conservation, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Disease, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Forest, Pests, Pines, SeminoleCountyAg

February 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
February 9, 2026

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 ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Citrus, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Fruit Flies, Invasive Species, Lime Swallowtail, SeminoleCountyAg

January 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
January 5, 2026

Recap of January 2026 First Friday with Florida First Detector In this month, we explored the fascinating, and sometimes frustrating, world of plant pathogens. Simply put, a pathogen is any organism that causes disease. For plants, these culprits ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Bacteria, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Fungi, Invasive Species, SeminoleCountyAg, Virus

December 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

by Morgan Pinkerton
December 8, 2025

Recap of December 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector This month, we dove into the topic of invasive mites, specifically focusing on the ones that can damage plants. These tiny arachnids are everywhere: on plants, animals, humans, ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Biosecurity, Early Detection, Eradication, FFD25-26, FloridaFirstDetector, Mites, SeminoleCountyAg

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