Category: Pests & Disease

mosquito

More Than an Itch: Protecting Your Home and Family From Mosquitoes

by Sara MacDonald
September 21, 2026

For many Floridians, mosquitoes are simply part of spending time outdoors. But a mosquito bite can be more than an annoyance. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases, including dengue, West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses. Recent dengue ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agriculture, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, MGV, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Tropical milkweed

Found an Invasive Plant? Here’s What to Do Next

by Sara MacDonald
September 18, 2026

Once homeowners learn what invasive plants are, they often start seeing their own yards differently. A plant they have grown for years may suddenly raise a new question: Could this be invasive? And if it is, the next question is usually: “How ... READ MORE

Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Ipm, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
yellow-legged-hornet

¿Ha oído hablar del avispón de patas amarillas? Lo que los propietarios de viviendas en Florida deben saber

by Sara MacDonald
September 9, 2026

Si disfruta pasar tiempo en su jardín, probablemente ha visto una buena cantidad de abejas, avispas y avispones. Pero ¿qué haría si encontrara un insecto que pareciera un avispón de patas amarillas? El avispón de patas amarillas (Vespa ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Invasive, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County, UFIFASEnEspañol
yellow-legged-hornet

Have You Heard of the Yellow-Legged Hornet? What Florida Homeowners Need to Know

by Sara MacDonald
September 8, 2026

If you enjoy spending time in your garden, you have probably seen your share of bees, wasps and hornets. But what would you do if you spotted an insect that looked like a yellow-legged hornet? The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) is an ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, MGV, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Gardening

Think Before You Spray: Using Integrated Pest Management in Your Florida Landscape

by Sara MacDonald
September 3, 2026

See a bug on your plant? Don't spray it just yet. Finding an insect on your favorite plant can be alarming. You may wonder, “Is it hurting my plant?” or “How do I get rid of it?” Before reaching for a pesticide, take a closer look. That ... READ MORE

Category: , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Featured, Homeowner, Ipm, Pests, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County

Ghost Snails Are Showing Up in Florida Gardens

by Sara MacDonald
July 22, 2026

Have you noticed small, cone-shaped snails climbing your plants? We recently found large groups of ghost snails (Bulimulus bonariensis) feeding on marigolds and herbs in a St. Lucie County garden. These snails are becoming more common across ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Invasive Species, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Florida Friendly Landscape, Invasive Species, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Insect under microscope.

Cómo Crecen los Insectos: Por Qué las Ninfas de Cucaracha Causan Confusión

by Sara MacDonald
October 17, 2025

¿Alguna vez has visto un pequeño insecto correr por la superficie de tu cocina y pensado: “¡Oh no, es una cucaracha pequeña!”? No entres en pánico todavía; no todos los insectos pequeños y marrones son cucarachas. De hecho, muchos ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Home Management, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: #UFBugs, Extension, Insects, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
Insect under microscope.

How Insects Grow: Why Cockroach Nymphs Cause Confusion

by Sara MacDonald
October 15, 2025

Have you ever spotted a tiny bug running across your counter and thought, “Oh no, it’s a baby cockroach!”? Don’t panic just yet; not every small brown insect is a cockroach. In fact, many insects go through stages that make them look ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Home Management, Horticulture, NATURAL RESOURCES, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: #UFBugs, Extension, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
A person tending to a vegetable garden. Photo taken 02-02-20.

Guía de siembra de otoño para el sur de Florida

by Sara MacDonald
October 14, 2025

¡Octubre es el mes perfecto para comenzar tu huerto de otoño en la región! Las temperaturas más frescas, las lluvias ocasionales y los días más cortos crean condiciones ideales para plantar una variedad de verduras y hierbas. Ya seas un ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Extension, Florida Friendly Landscape, Gardening, St Lucie County, UF/IFAS Edible Gardens, UF/IFAS Extension

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