Topics in Subtropics

On typical days, the air near the ground is warmer than the air above it. This is because the atmosphere is heated from below as solar radiation warms the Earth's surface. A surface inversion occurs when the atmosphere at the earth's surface is colder than the layer above it.

Polyphagous Shothole Borer which is an ambrosia beetle that normally feeds on dead trees is going after live trees - over 100 species including sycamore, alder and coast live oak. It also goes after avocado.

SACRAMENTO An additional portion of Fresno County along its southern border with Tulare County has been placed under quarantine for the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) following the detections of ACP in two locations in an unincorporated area of northern Tulare County near the City of Orange Cove.

Mark Hoddle of UC Riverside Entomology Department has intorduced a second species of natural enemy of Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP), Diaphoencyrtus aligarhensis, imported from Punjab, Pakistan. It was officially released December 16, 2014 at the Biological Control Grove at UCR.

Huanglongbing or Citrus Greening caused by Asian Citrus Psyllid and its associated bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter A. causes misshapened fruit and causes the fruit to have a green portion on the skin. Hence the name citrus greening.