STOP USE NOTICE: Organic Pesticide Products WHACK OUT WEEDS! and ECOMIGHT-PRO
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's (CDFA) State Organic Program (SOP) is issuing this Stop Use Notice regarding the use of W.O.W. (WHACK OUT WEEDS!) and ECOMIGHT-PRO products manufactured by EcoMight LLC. These products are herbicides that are marketed and labeled as organic.
W.O.W (WHACK OUT WEEDS!) and ECOMIGHT-PRO products contain organic claims such as...
/h2>- Author: Elaine Lander
We've had many reports in the last two weeks from people asking what those big green, buzzing, beetles are. Green fruit beetles (Cotinis mutabilis) are members of the scarab beetle family and are sometimes known as fig beetles or figeater beetles. They are related to green June beetles (C. nitida) which are more commonly found in the South Eastern United States.
Green fruit beetles have a metallic green color and can be up to 1 1/3 inches long with prominent legs and antennae. The adults eat maturing soft fruit like figs and stone fruits, while the larvae (grubs) are found in compost or other decomposing matter. More on these occasional pests can be found on...
Licensed pest management professionals:
The Vertebrate Pest Council is hosting a seminar series this year in conjunction with new partner Target Specialty Products. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn about wildlife management of a number of bird and mammalian species from staff at the University of California, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Department of Pesticide Regulation and more!
Both structural and DPR continuing education units are available and Vector CEUs have been approved for some venues. For more information on these workshops, hosted in Sacramento, Oxnard, Anaheim and Visalia this year, please check out
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Originally posted August 26, 2016; edited July 10, 2018
Have you seen big green beetles in your California yard or garden? Or beetles feeding on your roses or other plants? There are many kinds of beetles commonly found in our landscapes, but the Japanese beetle is not one of them.
Japanese Beetles
Many people think they've seen the Japanese beetle, a small scarab beetle with metallic green wings with white spots on the margins. However, Japanese beetles are generally not found in California.
The Japanese beetle is an exotic and potentially invasive pest for which the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is conducting eradication efforts to limit its spread...
/h2>The red imported fire ant, or RIFA for short, is no ordinary red ant. This invasive pest lives up to its name, delivering a sting that causes a burning sensation when its venom is injected into the skin.
People sometimes confuse RIFA with the native southern fire ant. Both can become very agitated when their nest is disturbed but RIFA are more likely to attack. RIFA can bite and sting its victim repeatedly, and its sting is more serious, causing a burning and itching sensation. This is followed by the formation of a white pustule, which can take several weeks to disappear. If not kept clean, the pustules can become infected and may leave permanent scarring. A small...