Pests in the Urban Landscape

Urban neighborhood and park.

The Pests in the Urban Landscape blog shares the latest resources and information from the UC IPM Urban & Community team to help you sustainably manage pests in the home, garden, and landscape. 

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Antimicrobials include several categories of products. To maintain virus-free surfaces use a disinfectant or a virucide. Sterilants are generally more toxic and reserved for critical environments like hospitals. Infographic courtesy Enviroxyclean.
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Disinfectants are pesticides–so use safely!

March 30, 2020
What do pest control and public health campaigns against SARS Cov-2 have in common? Both activities use pesticides. In the eyes of the law, sanitizer and disinfectant products are considered pesticides.
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Figure 1. Western yellowjacket baiting with the hydrogel bait. After a short handling behavior on the bait, yellowjackets flew away with a small piece of the hydrogel bait. (Credit: DH Choe)
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Using hydrogels to develop a yellowjacket bait

March 29, 2020
By Dong Hwan Choe
Many parks, recreational areas, and outdoor venues in California are home to yellowjacket wasps (Vespula spp.). Yellowjackets are commonly attracted to human food items, creating a serious nuisance and a potential stinging threat.
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"Virus Shut Out" is Illegal Product in U.S.

March 25, 2020
HONOLULU Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it has prevented several shipments of an illegal health product from entering U.S. Pacific ports under federal pesticide laws. The item, Virus Shut Out, is not registered with the EPA.
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Figure 1: Western drywood termite (<i>Incisitermes minor</i>) immatures. (Credit: S. Taravati)
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Detecting Drywood Termites in Structures with Microwave Technology

March 24, 2020
By Siavash Taravati
Western drywood termites (Incisitermes minor, Figure 1) are an important pest of structural wood in California, causing millions of dollars in damage annually. These termites are very cryptic, hidden in their galleries within wood members (pieces of wood), and only emerge during swarming.
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Ants and other pests aren't deterred by human health concerns. (Credit: Jack Kelly Clark)
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Pests and COVID-19

March 19, 2020
By Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Like you, we at the UC Statewide IPM Program are responding to the COVID-19 situation in ways that help protect ourselves, our families, and our communities.
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