Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
The UConn Home & Garden Education Center accepts requests for assistance or information on horticultural topics and garden and household pests from individuals throughout Connecticut as well as solicitations from out-of-state and, occasionally, international clients. Inquiries come from both commercial and residential sources.
The Center is the Northeast Regional First Responder to Extension ‘Ask the Expert’ questions. The UConn Plant Diagnostic Lab is a member of the National Plant Diagnostic Network and the Northeast Plant Diagnostic Network.
The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources.
Services Provided:
Toll-Free Number: Call With Your Gardening Or Pest Questions: (877) 486-6271
Email: Send Your Gardening or Pest Questions and photos to: ladybug@uconn.edu
Outreach Events – We provide talks and tabling at events like the CT Flower & Garden Show and host events like the Annual IPM for Home Gardeners Seminar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the UConn Home & Garden Education Center Located?
The UConn Home & Garden Education Center is located in Room 4 of the Ratcliffe Hicks Building on the UConn Storrs campus. Off of RT195, take Horsebarn Hill Extension Road. Take your first right, down the short hill. At the bottom of the little hill take a right to the rear of Ratcliffe Hicks. Park against the big stone wall in one of the first two parking spaces for visitors to the Center. Enter the building via the straight handicap ramp into the basement level.
Samples for plant identification or disease analysis, and garden insects for identification can be dropped off to our office in the Ratcliffe Hicks building during business hours.
When our office is closed, samples can be left in the red cooler outside of our office and will be picked up the next business day for analysis.