UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center

A new nationwide initiative inspired by UF Entomology & Nematology Department research is helping scientists and pest control professionals stay ahead of destructive invasive termites.

Known as the North American Termite Survey, the effort is tracking termite spread, identifying risk areas and improving early detection before costly structural damage occurs.

Led in part by UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center's Thomas Chouvenc, the program has already helped detect termites in new counties across the South and is shaping a nationwide strategy to protect homes and infrastructure.

Learn how this collaboration is changing termite surveillance and what it means for your community 🔗 tr.ee/yrkSIGjFdz

Invasive termites are on the move.

New UF Entomology & Nematology Department research shows that the Formosan and Asian subterranean termites are no longer confined to South Florida and are spreading across coastal and urban counties statewide, posing growing risks to homes and buildings.

By analyzing more than three decades of data and partnering with pest management professionals, researchers are improving early detection and helping communities better understand where these destructive pests are headed next.

The full story ➡️ https://tr.ee/IachMKQGgi

Love wildlife and the outdoors? 🌿

Join us on March 6 for the Fifth Annual DeLuca Preserve BioBlitz! Help scientists document as many species as possible in one day using the iNaturalist.org app.

✔️ Free event
✔️ Open to all skill levels (18+)
✔️ Guided and self-guided options available

More than 1,000 species have already been documented, and there are many more to find!

Register today 🔗 tr.ee/HI9s138NX0

This doesn’t happen often, but we do get freezes! ❄️ If your plants were affected by the hard freeze we just experienced, here are a few helpful tips:

💧• Water your plants thoroughly if you haven’t already.
🌿• For mushy, wet tissue, prune it back to firm, healthy material.

If your plants only have brown or dried foliage or woody tissue, don’t rush to prune just yet. Leaving it in place can actually help protect the plant if more cold weather is on the way.

✂️ When to prune:
Pruning is best done once temperatures begin staying in the 40s or higher, or you can wait until spring when new growth appears. At that point, it’s much easier to see where to prune above a bud or node.

🌴 For tropical plants (such as papaya and banana):
Remove any mushy, wet tissue. If everything appears dry, no action is needed right now — just keep an eye on it. You should see a clear line between living and dead tissue.

⚠️ Be careful not to over-prune!
Dead, brown stems can help protect healthy tissue below if we get another cold snap.

Landscapes across Brevard County may look a little rough until spring arrives — and that’s okay. 🌼 That’s just part of gardening in Florida after a freeze!

For more tips and assistance, call or email the Brevard County Master Gardeners at [email protected] and 321-633-1702.

Protecting Your Home from Pests: Florida-Friendly Landscaping Solutions Join us for a fun and informative session on keeping your home bug-free with Florida-Friendly Landscaping Solutions!

Plant diseases don’t respect borders, but now, there’s an app that tracks them worldwide. 🌎

Developed by Braham Dhillon at the UF IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Robigus pulls together 45 years of global plant disease records into one interactive, searchable tool. From bananas to palms, growers and scientists can now see where threats are emerging and how they spread.

More on the app named after a Roman god ➡️ go.ufl.edu/h7pr5af