UC Master Gardeners of San Joaquin County

Branched broomrape hand weeding and heat treatmentPershang Hosseini, Magdalene Burgess, Rohith Vulchi, Ni Tang, Brad Hanson (UC Davis) IntroductionBranched broomrape (Phelipanche ramosa) is an obligate root parasitic weed that can affect a wide range of crops, most notably processing tomato in…

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug showed up in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties about 12 years ago. It had been roaming around LA and Orange Counties before that.  There was a small outbreak on avocados at the time, but it was mainly seen on a lot of other plant species, like tomatoes.  We have not seen…

 How do moths differ from butterflies?Scientists at the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis answered questions and displayed both moths and butterflies at their recent Moth Night, in observation of National Moth Week, July 19-27. Bohart associates Jeff Smith, curator of the Lepidoptera collection…

 Curious minds want to know.How many species of moths did scientists detect in the blacklighting demonstration at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's annual Moth Night, held Saturday, July 12?"We caught a total of 11 moths at the light sheet--five species in five different families," said Bohart Museum…

The California Weed Science Society (CWSS) publishes a twice-yearly "CWSS Research Update and News" newsletter as one of the society's publications.  The July 2025 issue just went online and is available here: https://cwss.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CWSS_Research_Update-July-2025.pdf This issue…

There are many weedy grasses that can invade a lawn or landscaped area, but bermudagrass is one of the most hated and difficult to control weeds. It’s a low-growing, wiry perennial that has above and belowground structures which are both capable of rooting and growing into new plants.  The secret…

  Breaking News: More than 1,218 members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), including 61 Nobel laureates and 46 recipients of the National Medal of Science, this week signed a letter urging Congress to reject the FY26 science budget cuts that threaten U.S. leadership in science, health, and…

The FutureFood Engine, led by UC ANR and backed by more than 50 partners across California and Nevada, has been selected as a semifinalist in the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines competition.

 "My turn to hold the hornworm!"Youth and adults alike clamored to hold the tobacco hornworms at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's Moth Night.While attendees held the hornworms, other hornworms munched on a tomato plant.  A display sign about Metamorphosis in the Garden read:"Tobacco hornworms …

 That "passion butterfly," the Gulf Fritillary...Ever watched a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, touch down on its host plant, the passionflower vine, Passiflora? Ever seen two Gulf Frits sipping nectar from a single passionflower blossom? We remember what UC Davis Distinguished Professor…

We are excited to announce the launch of the California Water Course (register here), a bilingual (English/Español) program designed for entry level water professionals (or refresher), community and advocates, or any person interested in addressing California’s water challenges and solutions.This…

Toxic baits, or rodenticides, used to control rodents around the home and garden can harm nontarget animals, such as pets, birds, coyotes, and other wildlife. To reduce these negative impacts, California has passed several laws to limit what rodenticides can be used, how, and by who. Here’s what you need to…

 It's not Halloween yet, but you'll see a "witch" at the annual Moth Night hosted by the Bohart Museum of Entomology on Saturday, July 12.A White Witch, that is. It's the legendary moth, Thysania agrippina, from the family Erebidae.  It's also called the Ghost Moth, Great Gray…

 What a delight to see!When Fairfield resident and butterfly aficionado Marilyn Sexton spotted on her patio a butterfly that she'd never seen before, she grabbed her cell phone and took some images and a video.Brown-black wings, each lined with a row of white spots. Orange tips on the forewings. …

My name is Mandeep Singh, and I’m honored to serve as the Agronomy Advisor for Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo counties, based at the UCCE Capitol Corridor office in Woodland. I grew up on a farm where my family raised diversified row crops and livestock. I obtained my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in…

Native to South America, Argentine ants were introduced to California in 1905. Today, 90% of Southern California and coastal orchards are infested with ants. Some trees experience up to 1 million ant visits per day.Ivan Milosavljević, Citrus Research Board (CRB) entomologist, presented that information in a…

In the last two years, California has experienced a surge of invasive fruit fly infestations. Invasive fruit fly outbreaks endanger our state’s agriculture and economy, as well as homegrown fruits and veggies. They can infest many different fruit, nut, and vegetable crops. Adults lay their eggs under the…