The Ficus Whitefly Profile and Management



	There is a new pest attacking ficus trees and hedges in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, Florida. This pest was identified as the fig (ficus) whitefly, Singhiella simplex, and is a new US continental record. Whiteflies are small, winged insects that belong to the Order Hemiptera which also includes aphids, scales, mealybugs, and bugs. These insects typically feed on the underside of leaves with their “needle-like” mouthparts. Whiteflies can seriously injure host plants by sucking ju... Read More..

UMCE Cockroach Fact Sheet



	Cockroaches generally have a flattened, oval appearance, long spiny legs and long antennae. Color, which depends on species and age, ranges from a reddish brown to dark brown and from tan to black. The female cockroach deposits eggs in a reddish brown, bean-shaped capsule, which in some species is carried at the tip of her abdomen until the eggs are nearly ready to hatch. Read More..

Velvet Ants



	Ants, bees and wasps belong to the Hymenoptera. This order contains many beneficial insects that pollinate our crops and native plants, and eat or parasitize pest insects. Read More..

Mosquito Myths

Routine pest control is a necessity in South Florida where pests such as mosquitoes can be found in abundance. Read More..

Silverleaf Whitefly

Africanized Honey Bees in South Florida

Africanized honey bees (AHB) have made their way into the state of Florida. AHBs breed and compete with the European strains of honey bees that normally inhabit our state. Because Florida's AHB population is increasing, it is important to become familiar with AHBs and their behavior. Read More..

Identifing different species of Ants

Ants are pests around the home because they feed on and contaminate human foods, infest structures, and build unsightly mounds in lawns. In some cases, ants are able to inflict painful bites or stings. Ants do not attack or eat fabrics, leather or wood in houses; however, some species can establish nests in decaying wood in structures. Read More..

Spider Myths

Myth : You unknowingly swallow an average of four live spiders in your sleep each year. Fact : This very widespread urban legend has no basis in fact. It exists in various forms; another common version is that you swallow an average of 20 in your lifetime. (At 4 per year, that would make a very short lifetime of 5 years...) A correspondent in Pennsylvania had heard a version that involved swallowing a pound of spiders (while sleeping) in one's l... Read More..

Moth flies or Drain flies

In nature, moth fly larvae normally occur in aquatic habitats that experience intermittent submersion. They reproduce in polluted, shallow water or highly moist organic solids where they feed on decaying organic material in mud, moss or water. In homes, the adult flies are most likely found on the walls of the bathrooms, kitchens, basements and other locations where sewer drains and plumbing fixtures are located. The flies are poor fliers and usually are found close to the drain o... Read More..

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle – Laurel Wilt Disease

Currently the redbay ambrosia beetle-laurel wilt disease infestation has continued to spread west and south in Florida. Avocado trees have been reported as infested in Duval and Brevard Counties. Although one test for laurel wilt on avocado was positive in Homestead, efforts to detect and confirm the presence of laurel wilt disease in additional samples have been negative. As of this writing the red bay ambrosia beetle has not been detected in Miami Dade County. More sampling and testin... Read More..