It’s that time of year again - blueberry season! I know I’m excited! Blueberries are a major crop grown here in Florida with ~7,000 acres of commercial blueberries. In addition, there are many U-Pick operations scattered throughout this ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture
Communication is the key to success of any team and honey bees are no exception. These social insects interact using smell, taste, sound, and touch. They communicate about food resources or even about potential nearby danger. These developed ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture
I often get calls on how to control pickerelweed. Although this beautiful aquatic plant is a Florida native, it can spread prolifically leaving pond owners with the assumption that it's an invasive weed. Invasive plants are non-native species ... READ MORE
Category: Invasive Species, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Now that we know what pollinators are and types of bees found here in Florida, let's take a closer look at bee biology. Bees belong to the order of Hymenoptera, with ants and wasps. Bees can look like wasps but have more hair and thicker body ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture
Horse Bot Fly (Gasterophilus intestinalis) The horse bot fly or stomach bot is an internal parasite of the horse’s gastrointestinal tract. Geographical location influences seasonality of bot flies. In north Florida, the flies are more active ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Last blog, I talked about pollination and pollinator impact on crops grown throughout Florida. This blog, I am highlighting types of bees seen throughout Florida, both native and non-native. There are approximately 20,000 species of bees. There ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Horticulture
Algae are an important component of an ecosystem, but when algae populations grow out of control, they begin to decrease water quality. The summer months generate high water temperatures and abundant sunlight. This in combination with excessive ... READ MORE
Category: Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
How to recognize it: Dollarweed is a moisture-loving plant that can be hard to manage in lawns and landscape beds. Also know as pennywort, Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle spp.), is a warm-season perennial weed. It is named because of its silver-dollar-shaped ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension,
Just like humans, plants require important things to grow and produce fruit. Many crops grown in Florida require sun, water, and nutrients to grow, but one thing many people forget about is pollination! Did you know that around one-third of ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture
Coccidiosis is a common, potentially deadly disease that is spread through the environment, primarily through infected litter. It is normal for chickens to peck their surroundings. Therefore, the more contact the flock has with fecal material ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Livestock, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension