Urban

Primary Image
A poster showing Formosan termite swarmers, soldiers, and workers.
Article

Destructive Termite Alert

June 26, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
The Formosan subterranean termite (FST), Coptotermes formosanus, is a very destructive pest first reported in California in 1992 in La Mesa, San Diego County. FST has since been found in Canyon Lake, Riverside County, Rancho Santa Fe (San Diego County) and Highland Park (Los Angeles County).
View Article
Primary Image
Adult goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus, on an oak leaf. Photo by Mike Lewis, Center for Invasive Species Research, Bugwood.org
Article

Invasive Spotlight: Goldspotted Oak Borer (GSOB)

June 7, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
There are several flatheaded boring beetles in California, however only a few are of particular concern. The goldspotted oak borer (GSOB), Agrilus auroguttatus, is a metallic wood-boring beetle that threatens our native trees.
View Article
Primary Image
Spotted lanternfly adult. Photo by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org
Article

Invasive Spotlight: Spotted Lanternfly

June 6, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest that poses a great threat to California's agriculture. It was first discovered in the U.S. in Pennsylvania in 2014, and has since taken the east coast by storm, causing damage to many plant species and proving to be difficult to control.
View Article
Primary Image
A patch of highway iceplant, Carpobrotus edulis. Photo by Mitch Barrie, Flickr.com.
Article

Invasive Spotlight: Highway Iceplant

June 5, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
You've probably seen this invasive plant growing along highways or the coast in California. Highway iceplant, Carpobrotus edulis, was intentionally introduced to prevent soil erosion along highways and coasts but it has since invaded many different ecosystems and outcompetes native plant species.
View Article
Primary Image
California Invasive Species Action Week logo.
Article

California Invasive Species Action Week 2023!

June 1, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
The 10th annual California Invasive Species Action Week (CISAW) will kick off Saturday June 3rd and runs to Sunday June 11th. This week is designed to raise awareness and encourage public participation in the ongoing fight against invasive species.
View Article
Primary Image
Shovel-headed garden worm, Bipalium kewense. Photo by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State, Bugwood.org
Article

Weird Worms: Land Planaria

May 22, 2023
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes
What is that weird wormlike thing in your garden? A slug? An earthworm? It may be neitherit it might be a land planarian. Land planaria are also called terrestrial flatworms and hammerhead worms.
View Article