Integrated Pest Management

Primary Image
A hand holding brown soil.
Article

Healthy Soil Tips

December 5, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Healthy Soils Week (Dec. 4-8) is a week-long initiative by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to highlight the importance of soil health throughout California. Healthy soils can improve crop yields, sequester carbon, reduce erosion, and increase biodiversity.
View Article
Primary Image
Figure 4. Time required for western subterranean termites to begin consuming baits installed during four different seasons in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Red points on termite heads represent the average time-to-attack (number of days between installation and first observation of bait consumption). Red bars extending above and below each point represent standard error of the mean. Photo by Casey Hubble, UCCE.
Article

Termite Bait Study

November 28, 2023
By Andrew M Sutherland
Subterranean termites (Family Rhinotermitidae) are considered the most serious wood-destroying pests in the world, causing an estimated $32 billion in global economic impact each year. California is home to both native and introduced subterranean termite species (Figure 1).
View Article
Primary Image
Multiple sizes of small, brown, oval-shaped insects on a nickel.
Article

Tips for a Bed Bug-Free Holiday

November 20, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
The holiday season is fast approaching! With many people traveling and visiting new places during this time, it's important to understand how to check for bed bugs and prevent them from coming home with you.
View Article
Primary Image
A close up of narrow, long green leaves of a peach tree. Some leaves have curled and are red and distored from peach leaf curl.
Article

Peach leaf curl spray timing

November 14, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease that only affects peach and nectarine trees. The fungus causes distorted, reddened leaves to appear on the tree in the spring.
View Article
Primary Image
A green backyard lawn surrounded by small shrubs.
Article

Killing Your Lawn?

November 8, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Kill your lawn! has become a popular phrase and landscaping trend in recent years. Whether you are looking to completely remove your lawn or just renovate it, this article will give you useful information to help you decide how best to do away with your existing lawn and prepare for your new design.
View Article
Primary Image
A person wearing a black shirt scratching their forearm.
Article

What's Biting Me?!

November 6, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Do you feel like something is biting you? Have red swollen spots on your skin? There are many biting and stinging pests that could cause such reactions, such as mosquitoes, ticks, mites, bed bugs, fleas, and head lice. But sometimes it can be the result of an allergic skin reaction.
View Article
Primary Image
A close up of a brown mouse in a kitchen sink, with dishes in the background.
Article

Prevent rodents from overwintering in your home!

October 26, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Most people don't think about rats or mice until they become pests in or around the home. But with experts predicting that these pests will be particularly bad this upcoming winter, you might want to spend some more time rodent-proofing your home and other buildings.
View Article