Invasive Invertebrates

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New World Screwworm (NWS)

The New World screwworm (NWS) is a type of fly whose larvae (maggots) feed exclusively on the living tissues of warm-blooded animals. UF/IFAS is monitoring the spread of NWS and providing resources for livestock managers, veterinarians, wildlife officials, and community leaders across Florida. Please go to the UF/IFAS New World Screwworm website for access to materials and science-based resources that may not be available on this site.

Any suspected cases of New World screwworm in Florida should be immediately reported to FDACS.

Pasture Mealybug

The pasture mealybug is a new invasive insect pest that has recently been detected in Florida and is causing concern for pasture, hay, turfgrass, and sugarcane producers. Real-time updates can be found on the UF/IFAS Extension Forage Team's Pasture Mealybug page.

The pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei Brookes) is a grass-specialist insect pest (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) recently found in Florida that can be problematic for pastures, hayfields, sod production, turfgrass, and sugarcane. As of June 19^th, 2026, surveys have confirmed the mealybug in fifteen Florida counties including: Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and St. Lucie. The most damage has been observed on limpograss and sugarcane, but several other grass species are being affected, including bahiagrass and bermudagrass.

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Publications

Showing 16 of 16 Publications

Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae)

Howard V. Weems, Jr., John B. Heppner, J. L. Nation, and Gary John Steck

Mexican Redrump Tarantula, Brachypelma vagans (Ausserer) (Arachnida: Araneae: Theraphosidae)

G. B. Edwards and K. L. Hibbard

The Lychee Erinose Mite Aceria litchii (Keifer) (Acari: Eriophyidae)

Alexandra M. Revynthi, Jonathan H. Crane, Jeff Wasielewski, Paul E. Kendra, and Daniel Carrillo

The lychee erinose mite is an important pest of lychee and is found in lychee-producing countries in Asia and South America and in Australia, Hawaii, and Brazil, where it has has caused an estimated 70–80% yield reduction and a 20% increase in production costs. Found in Lee County, Florida, in 2018, it has since spread to several counties in central and south Florida. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services , Division of Plant Industry established an eradication program and a quarantine in Lee county. Management in other countries includes chemical control in combination with pruning. The purpose of this publication is to provide an in-depth profile of the lychee erinose mite. It is intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

El caracol cola de cuerno (Macrochlamys indica): una nueva especie invasiva en Florida

Alexandra M. Revynthi, German Vargas, Daniel Carrillo, Dakshina R. Seal, E. Vanessa Vassilaros y Paul E Kendra

El propósito de este documento es proveer información general del estado actual del conocimiento del caracol cola de cuerno (Macrochlamys indica Benson) así como recomendaciones para su detección y monitoreo en los viveros. El caracol cola de cuerno fue detectado en agosto del 2020 en el condado de Miami-Dade (Talamas 2020). Este caracol es considerado como una plaga de importancia cuarentenaria en los Estados Unidos debido a que se puede convertir en una plaga agrícola y es potencialmente hospedero de nematodos parásitos de importancia médica (Grewal et al. 2003; Cowie et al. 2009; Jayashankar y Murthy 2015). Un programa de monitoreo, control y erradicación del caracol cola de cuerno fue implementado por la División de Industria Vegetal del Departamento de Agricultura y Servicios al Consumidor del estado de Florida (FDACS-DPI, por sus siglas en inglés). En la actualidad el programa de erradicación ha sido suspendido por parte de FDACS-DPI.

Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae)

Michael C. Thomas, John B. Heppner, Robert E. Woodruff, Howard V. Weems Jr., Gary John Steck, and Thomas R. Fasulo

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids, and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Lobate Lac Scale, Paratachardina lobata lobata (Chamberlin) (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea: Kerriidae)

F. W. Howard, Robert Pemberton, Avas Hamon, Greg S. Hodges, Bryan Steinberg, Catharine M. Mannion, David McLean, and Jeanette Wofford

A UF/IFAS numbered Organism ID. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Integrated Pest Management

Brown Garden Snail, Cornu aspersum (Müller, 1774) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

G. W. Dekle and T. R. Fasulo

Khapra Beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Insecta: Coleoptera: Dermestidae)

D. L. Harris

Two-Spot Cotton Leafhopper Amrasca biguttula (Ishida) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae)

Hugh A. Smith, Yisell Velazquez-Hernandez, and Alexandra M. Revynthi

Amrasca biguttula, Ishida (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), also known as the two-spot cotton leafhopper, became established in Florida in 2024 where it causes significant damage to a range of ornamental and horticultural crops. It is a major pest of okra (Abelmoschus esculentum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and various types of hibiscus (Hibiscus spp. L.). It is also a major pest of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Asia and poses a threat to cotton production in Florida and the southeast USA. Regulatory restrictions have been imposed on the shipment of leafhopper hosts from Florida to other states because of this threat. Therefore, the pest poses a significant regulatory burden to the state in addition to damage presently inflicted on production of ornamental and vegetable crops, and the threat to cotton grown in the state’s Panhandle.

The Horntail Snail (Macrochlamys indica): A New Invasive Pest in Florida

Alexandra M. Revynthi, Daniel Carrillo, Dakshina R. Seal, E. Vanessa Vassilaros, and Paul E. Kendra

The horntail snail was detected, in August 2020, in Miami-Dade County. This snail is considered of quarantine importance in the United States because it can become an agricultural pest and potentially host parasitic nematodes of medical significance. A program to survey, control, and eradicate the horntail snail has been implemented by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry.

Melon Thrips, Thrips palmi Karny (Insecta: Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

J. L. Capinera

White Garden Snail, Theba pisana (Müller) (Gastropoda: Helicidae)

Jane E. Deisler, Lionel A. Stange, and Thomas R. Fasulo

thumbnail for publication: A Concise Guide to the Bionomics and Key Morphological Characteristics for Identifying Culex coronator (Dyar and Knab, 1906)—an Invasive Mosquito Species from the Neotropics

A Concise Guide to the Bionomics and Key Morphological Characteristics for Identifying Culex coronator (Dyar and Knab, 1906)—an Invasive Mosquito Species from the Neotropics

Ana L. Romero-Weaver, Lawrence E. Reeves, Michael T. Riles, Yoosook Lee, and Bryan V. Giordano

Culex coronator Dyar and Knab is a highly invasive Neotropical species, first described at the beginning of the 20th century in Trinidad and Tobago. This is an important invasive species in Florida, that needs to be carefully surveilled by mosquito control experts. This publication is structured like those from Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit (WRBU; https://www.wrbu.si.edu/) so that readers can obtain a similar level of detail to that offered through WRBU species pages, which are widely used by anyone interested in mosquito biology, research, and education.

Alluaud’s Little Yellow Ant Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Thomas Chouvenc, Andrea Lucky, and Matthew Miller

Giant African Land Snail in Florida

John L. Capinera

A UF/IFAS numbered Organism ID. in support of UF/IFAS Extension program: Integrated Pest Management

thumbnail for publication: Formosan Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Insecta: Blattodea: Heterotermitidae (formerly Rhinotermitidae))

Formosan Subterranean Termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Insecta: Blattodea: Heterotermitidae (formerly Rhinotermitidae))

Nan-Yao Su, Rudolf H. Scheffrahn, Johnalyn Gordon, and Thomas Chouvenc

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences. Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, commonly known as the Formosan subterranean termite, is an invasive termite species, found in subtropical and temperate regions. Due to their large population size and foraging distance, a Formosan subterranean termite colony can cause significant structural damage. This species is considered a major pest in areas where it is established.