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Inside the mind of a spider

May 20, 2022
Photo above shows a male Evarcha culicivora. (Image provided by Lisa Taylor, UF/IFAS)For a creature that – legs and all – might be no larger than a pencil eraser, spiders continue to surprise researchers with their cognitive abilities. Lisa Taylor, a University of Florida entomologist, has spent her career studying arachnids. She says understanding how…

Sinomegoura citricola recently discovered on Florida mango

May 19, 2022
Recently, the aphid species Sinomegoura citricola was discovered on mango fruit in a suburban area of Palmetto, Florida. Native to Asia, this aphid pest has previously only been recorded once prior, on citrus in California. As a highly polyphagous pest, they have been recorded feeding on over 80 host species including but not limited to: mango, avocado,…

Cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) and implications for native Opuntia

May 19, 2022
Did you know that Florida is home to several species of native cacti? Its true! The prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) produces edible fruit with flowers that bloom a variety of warm-toned colors. These cacti also serve as important nutrient resources for a variety of animals and pollinators including native and non-native bees, butterflies, and moths.…

Tilapia explosion at Silver Springs State Park

May 19, 2022
The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) has found an alarming invasion of Blue tilapia that has replaced the native fish population in Silver Springs State Park based on a recent survey. In 2019, Blue tilapia made up 25% of the fish biomass in Silver Springs but as of July this year numbers jumped to 86%. According to Dr. Knight, “Native fish species are…

Citrus black spot: Expansion of quarantine areas in south Florida

May 19, 2022
Recently, USDA-APHIS added 195 sections across Florida in Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties to the citrus black spot (CBS) quarantine list. Citrus black spot is a disease is caused by the fungal pathogen, Guignardia cirtricarpa (Anamorph: Phyllosticta citricarpa). Thriving in subtropical climates, it’s current distribution is fairly widespread with observations reported across several continents. Hard spot…

Giant African Land Snail Eradicated in Florida

May 19, 2022
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry and the USDA have officially announced the eradication of giant African land snails (GALS) from the state of Florida. Giant African land snail. Photo courtesy of Bugwood.org.Of interest to note, this is the second time giant African land snails have been eradicated from…

The golden rain tree (Koelreuteria elegans ssp. formosana): more foe than friend.

May 19, 2022
It is officially Fall in Florida. Temperatures are dropping, the holidays are just around the corner, and *gasp* the notorious golden rain trees have finally set fruit. Oh, you know the one. The giant, sprawling trees with their light peach, paper lantern-esque displays—a botanical phenomenon your friends can’t stop posting about. While this show-stopping tree…

New hope in the fight against tick-borne diseases

May 19, 2022
You’ve embarked upon a hike to decompress, spend some much needed time outdoors, and get away from your multiple blue light emitting screens. Low and behold, you return home to later find one of the most infamous pests on the planet—a tick, burrowed into your skin, lapping up it’s bloodmeal for who knows how long.…

FDACS-DPI 2021 employee of the year: Dr. Nicole Casuso

May 19, 2022
Dr. Nicole Casuso was recently named the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry’s 2021 Employee of the Year! Graduating from the UF Doctor of Plant Medicine program in May of 2017, she began working at FDACS-DPI in April of 2019. As a Biological Scientist IV, she additionally serves as Co-Chair…

2022 George Agrios Scholarship Endowment Recipient: Shannon McAmis

May 19, 2022
The George Agrios Scholarship was originally founded in the spring of 2020, with the goal of supporting graduate students enrolled in the University of Florida’s Doctor of Plant Medicine Program in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences department. Please join us in congratulating this year’s recipient, Shannon McAmis. Born and raised in the Tampa…
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