9 Important Communication Skills for Every Relationship (FCS2315/FY1277)

Effective communication is critical to successful relationships. Researchers and therapists have found at least nine skills that can help couples learn to talk effectively about important issues, like time spent together/apart, money, health, gender differences, children, family, friends, commitment, trust, and intimacy. If learned well, these nine skills can help put our relationships on a positive trajectory for success. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1277

10 Rules for Constructive Conflict (FCS2314/FY1276)

Determining how we handle conflicts, whether constructively or destructively, is a good way to see how functional or dysfunctional we are acting in our relationships. Take a minute and complete this quiz to see if you handle conflict in a constructive or destructive way. It will help you realize what you are already doing well and what skills you might still want to work on a little more. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1276

Widow Spider Parasatoids Philolema latrodecti (Fullaway) (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae) and Baeus latrodecti Dozier (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) (EENY515/IN919)

There are limited records of pathogens, parasites, and parasitoids known to affect widow spiders. This 4-page fact sheet describes what is known about two parasitoids, and observations from rearing them in the lab. Written by Christopher S. Bibbs and Lyle J. Buss, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in919

Eight Needs of Every Partner, Parent, and Child (FCS2313 /FY1275)

One of our greatest desires is to be happy. So what do you need in order to be happy? Have you ever sat down and made a list? This 3-page fact sheet guides you in listing needs for yourself, your partner, and your children; and lists eight needs identified by researchers that people need to feel happy. Written by Victor William Harris, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1275

Insecticides and Wildlife (ENY511/IN881)

When we use chemical insecticides to eliminate problem insects we discover that the effects of insecticides are not always limited to these 6-legged targets. Wildlife, pets, and humans also can be affected by insecticides. So one of the great challenges confronting humans is to develop ways to manage insects without affecting non-target organisms. Learn more in this 16-page fact sheet written by John L. Capinera, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, October 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in881

Landscape Design: Drawing a Planting Plan (ENH1195/EP456)

Selecting and placing plants in the landscape is the art and science of arranging plant material to make a healthy, functional, and beautiful yard. The mix of science and art is expressed in the guiding principle of “right plant, right place,” meaning to select plants that can thrive in the growing conditions of the site and locating them for both visual appeal and health. Selecting and arranging plants are the last steps in the overall design process after the site analysis is complete and the activity areas located and designed.Developing the planting plan is a sequential process, but it is important to remember that the process is not completely linear; sometimes decisions about plant material require reworking previous steps in the sequence and making adjustments to the plan. This 10-page fact sheet was written by Gail Hansen, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep456

Passionvine Mealybug, Planococcus minor (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) (ENY920/IN920)

The passionvine mealybug was discovered in the continental U.S. for the first time in southern Florida a little over a year ago. USDA, APHIS lists it as a high priority threat. Given its polyphagous nature, this pest should be given careful attention in a new area such as Florida, which has an important agricultural sector and amenable climate. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Antonio W. Francis, Moses T. K. Kairo and Amy L. Roda, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, February 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in920

Rose Pests and Diseases in Florida (ENH1108/EP371)

Roses are one of the most popular flowering shrubs in Florida and the United States. Valued for their beautiful and often fragrant blooms, roses have been cultivated in gardens for centuries as vines. Roses can grow and flower 9 months of the year in North Florida and year-round in the rest of Florida. Roses have become especially popular in recent years with the introduction of Knock Out® and other shrub roses. Unfortunately, increased use and misuse of roses have resulted in more reports of pest problems. This 9-page fact sheet was written by Gary W. Knox, Mathews Paret, and Russell F. Mizell, III, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep371

Azaleas at a Glance (ENH37/MG019)

Spectacular flowers and shade tolerance are among the reasons for the azalea’s popularity as a landscape plant in North and Central Florida. They enhance the home landscape as foundation or mass plantings and as background or foreground plants, depending on their size. They are also sometimes pruned into single-trunked standards that serve as specimen plants. Generally, their open, relaxed growth habit is more suited to informal landscape designs. This 5-page fact sheet was written by Sydney Park Brown, Dewayne L. Ingram, and James T. Midcap, and published by the UF Department of Environmental Horticulture, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg019

Cape Honey Bee Apis mellifera capensis Escholtz (EENY513/IN916)

Cape honey bees can produce both male and female offspring parthenogenetically. Unlike other African bee races, they are docile, but unlike all other races of honey bees, they are social parasites. Find out why South African beekeepers consider Cape bees a more serious threat than the varroa mite in this 4-page fact sheet was written by James D. Ellis, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in916

European Pepper Moth or Southern European Marsh Pyralid Duponchelia fovealis (Zeller) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Crambidae) (EENY508/IN910)

Researchers are monitoring this notable greenhouse pest in northern Europe and Canada for the cut flower, vegetable and aquatic plant industries. Its native range is southern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands, Syria and Algeria, but it has expanded its range to include other parts of Africa and the Middle East, northwest India, Europe, Canada and the United States. Recent survey detected adults in pheremone traps in 20 of the 26 Florida counties surveyed. This 11-page fact sheet was written by Stephanie D. Stocks and Amanda Hodges, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in910

A Wireworm Conoderus rudis (Brown) (EENY507/IN909)

Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles. These larvae are smooth, slender and round in cross-section. Wireworms are important pests of various crops and occur in all seasons at variable densities. Feeding damage is restricted to the seeds, seedlings and underground parts of the plants. Unlike foliage feeders, they are very difficult to detect due to their soil-dwelling habitat. This 4-page fact sheet was written by Dakshina R. Seal, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in909

Florida Wax Scale, Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock (EENY510/IN913)

The Florida wax scale, Ceroplastes floridensis Comstock, is one of the most commonly encountered soft scales throughout the the southern United States, where it is a serious pest of citrus and several ornamental and landscape plants, like holly.This 4-page fact sheet was written by Shweta Sharma and Eileen Buss, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in913

Phragmites in Florida (ENY860/IN898)

Phragmites are a tall, perennial, wetland grasses, occurring in both fresh and brackish waters. This 3-page fact sheet discusses the three genetic lineages, native, Gulf Coast, and Eurasian; and the threat posed to Florida ecosystems by an invasion of the exotic Eurasian type. Written by W. A. Overholt, R. Diaz, M. Hanson and D. Williams, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in898

How to Characterize Soil Variability in Florida Citrus Groves as It Relates to Tree Growth and Yield (SL556/SS557)

Non-uniform tree growth and fruit yield are very common throughout many Florida citrus groves, but variable groves are typically managed as if they were uniform. This 4-page fact sheet provides information about the relationship between soil variability and citrus production, proposes recommendations for soil sampling that account for spatial variability, and suggests site-specific management practices for variable Florida citrus groves. Written by Kirandeep K. Mann, Arnold W. Schumann, Thomas A. Obreza, Willie G. Harris, and Jerry B. Sartain, and published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, January 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss557

NEW at the Bookstore: Propagation of Fruit Plants in Florida (SP171)

Grafting, budding, layering, cuttings: they’re easier than you think! This field-tested, practical guide takes dooryard growers step-by-step through the most useful and successful ways to propagate tropical and subtropical fruit plants in Florida. This new edition of a long-time favorite is completely revised and includes over 50 full-color photos. Price: $6.00
http://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-169-propagating-fruit-plants-in-florida.aspx

Protecting Blueberries from Freezes in Florida (HS968/HS216)

Blueberry growers: know when the conditions are right in commercial blueberry fields, during and after bloom, for freeze damage, as well as practices you can use to minimize it. This 7-page fact sheet was written by J.G. Williamson, P.M. Lyrene, and J.W. Olmstead, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs216

Blueberry Gardener's Guide (CIR1192/MG359)

Home gardeners: Use this guide to successfully grow blueberries in Florida. This 8-page fact sheet was written by J.G. Williamson, P.M. Lyrene, and J.W. Olmstead, and published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, January 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg359

Miner Bee, Chimney Bee Anthophora abrupta Say (EENY512/IN912)

These gregarious, yet solitary, ground-nesting bees are “…conspicuous as they noisily swing their ponderous bodies to and fro on the wing, arrive home and scramble into their burrows or come tumbling out headlong and dash off into the sunny fields, with all the exuberance of boys just out of school.” This 5-page fact sheet was written by Jason R. Graham, Jamie Ellis, Glenn Hall, and Catherine Zettel Nalen, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in912

The Bumble Bees of Florida, Bombus spp. (EENY050/IN207)

Bumble bees are easily recognized by the corbicula (pollen basket) on the hind tibiae in the females. They are beneficial insects that pollinate many native and ornamental plants. They can sting severely, so problem nests near human dwellings should be removed by experienced pest control operators. This 5-page fact sheet includes a key to the bumble bees in Florida. Written by Lionel A. Stange, and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, December 2011.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in207