Resources

The Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory (FMEL), a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) research center, is located in Vero Beach, FL. The FMEL is one of the world’s largest research institutions devoted to the understanding and management of medically important and biting arthropods and of the pathogens they transmit. FMEL research and training extends nationally and internationally. The FMEL staff is currently made up of 13 faculty members in UF’s Department of Entomology and Nematology, 3 post-doctoral associates, 13 graduate students, and approximately 20 staff members. The FMEL extension program emphasizes gathering medical entomology information and distributing important research findings to mosquito control programs and county extension faculty throughout the state as well as to the public. The FMEL extension program also provides training to mosquito control professionals on topics such as mosquito identification, mosquito-borne diseases, integrated mosquito management, mosquito control product efficacy, and pesticide resistance testing. Questions about the FMEL, medically important and biting insects like mosquitoes, vector-borne diseases, and mosquito control can be directed to the medical entomology extension specialist at the FMEL, Dr. Eva Buckner at eva.buckner@ufl.edu.