Urban Integrated Pest Management

Hiring an Arborist: What to Know to Make Informed Tree Care Decisions

July 31, 2026

By Beatriz E Nobua Behrmann

Trees are long-lived resources that provide environmental, aesthetic, and community benefits. When a tree shows signs of decline, damage, or pest infestation, it is common to seek help from a tree care professional. While professional tree care is essential in many situations, the quality and appropriateness…

blacklegged tick on a leaf

Watch Out for Ticks

July 22, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Blood-sucking ticks can spread bacteria and other germs when they bite, causing diseases like Lyme disease in people and pets. Fortunately, a few simple precautions can go a long way in reducing your exposure to ticks. Preventing Tick BitesTicks are efficient hitchhikers—they can easily latch on to your…

Earwig on walnut leaf.

Got Earwigs in Your Garden?

July 13, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Earwigs, sometimes also called pincherbugs, can be damaging or just a nuisance around our homes and gardens. While these insect pests aren’t harmful to humans, they can cause quite the ruckus in home gardens. The most common species found in California is the European earwig, Forficula auricularia. This…

A spiky bush with yellow flowers stands in a dry empty lot under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds with buildings in the background.

Yellow Starthistle

July 9, 2026

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

Yellow starthistle is a spiky, fast-growing, invasive weed in home landscapes, parks, rangelands, roadsides, and natural areas. It outcompetes other plants by growing in impenetrable stands and depleting soil moisture. It's also highly flammable which increases the risk of wildfires where it's growing. …

Flowing river with trees in the distant background

Tangled Ecosystems: Protecting California from Invasive Water Species

July 8, 2026

By Cherie Shook

A few strands of thin, feathery, green plants growing under the dock didn’t catch anyone’s attention last spring. But those strands spread quickly and within months the lake’s calm waters were tangled in mats of the feathery Eurasian watermilfoil, an aggressive aquatic plant that grows quickly and clogs…

Text reads "Pest Tips for July". In the background you see a picture of a summer garden, abundant with flowers and fruit trees.

July Pest Management Tips

July 1, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Summer is in full force and while it's been quite hot in many parts of California, it's been very cool in others. That's why UC IPM's Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist is a useful tool to help you figure out what to do in your region each month! Here are some general tips for keeping your landscape…

Sunlight streaming through the leaves of a tree canopy

Pruning and Tree Physiology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

June 22, 2026

By Igor Lacan

Pruning in Practice Pruning is perhaps the most common tree maintenance activity that is undertaken on urban and ornamental trees. This is in sharp contrast with forest trees, which are pruned only in exceptional cases and yet grow and develop their mature form quite well, living considerably…

Ripe red tomatoes with rough uneven discolored surfaces next to a green tomato surrounded by browning green leaves near the ground. Copyright information is at the bottom

Common Vegetable Garden Diseases and Disorders

June 17, 2026

By Mackenzie F Patton

When you have a vegetable garden, sometimes you might discover your plants aren’t growing as well as expected and look sick. Vegetable plants can get diseases just like animals. A plant disease is an abnormal condition caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, water molds, or viruses. These are known…

Four sections showcasing tools for pest management and identification with corresponding images. Transcribed Text reads: Plant Problem Diagnostic Tool: Identify 650+ plant pests, diseases, and abiotic problems across 300+ species by narrowing down issues by plant and affected part. Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist: A monthly IPM checklist helping landscape professionals and gardeners manage common ornamental and fruit tree plant pests with a list of actions. Wildlife Pest Identification Tool: Identify Calif

UC IPM Tools are Back Online!

June 15, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Last month, we shared on our blog that UC IPM's website was undergoing changes to redesign and update the content to improve not only the overall look, but accessibility for those with disabilities to be in compliance with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We also…

Group of people with arms around each other, watching the sunset

It Takes a Village: Managing Invasive Pests in California

June 12, 2026

By Lindsey Hack

Because California is a major hub for commerce and tourism, many non-native organisms, especially plants, insects, and other animals, are brought into our state every day, either accidentally or on purpose. Most of them are harmless, but some are invasive species that cause big problems for the environment…

Campfire burning

Camping, Firewood, and Hitchikers

June 4, 2026

By Cherie Shook

Visiting Yosemite National Park is an awe-inspiring experience, even for the most seasoned of travelers. The valleys, waterfalls, giant sequoias, and iconic Glacier Point are all bucket list destinations ideal for a family camping vacation. To continue enjoying beautiful parks like Yosemite, it is important…

Adult japanese beetles, one with two macrotype parasite eggs of Hyperecteina aldrichi (Tachinidae) on its thorax

Protect California from Invasive Species

June 2, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Help raise awareness of invasive species by participating in the California Invasive Species Action Week (CISAW) held June 6-14, 2026! Invasive species are non-native pests that can negatively impact our waters, native ecosystems, agriculture, health, and economy. Each day during the week, UC IPM will…

Hand and arm covered with glove and long sleeve spraying clear mist from a bottle onto a green shrub.

Understanding Pesticides

June 2, 2026

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

Many tools are available to help gardeners, pest management professionals, and growers practice sustainable pest management without the use of pesticides. Sometimes, however, a pest infestation is too high or nonchemical methods haven’t worked, so the next solution might be to use a pesticide. Pesticides are…

Glassy-winged sharpshooter adult and (out-of-focus) nymph on green lemon twig.

Purchased a Grapevine at Costco in N. CA Recently? Read This!

May 28, 2026

By Karey Windbiel-Rojas

Updated May 29, 2026 at 4:30pmAn invasive insect called the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) has been found on grapevine shipments sold at select Costco locations in Northern California between April 21 and May 21, 2026. Note that the timeframe for grapevine plants sold at Costco has been extended to April…

group of people standing around a dog and man during a demonstration

Dogs with jobs: Pups go on pest patrol as rodenticides phase out

May 27, 2026

By Caroline D Champlin

[Originally featured on the Green Blog] UC Cooperative Extension explores how dogs can help detect, control rodent populationsJJ has a uniform to keep himself safe on the job. As a consummate professional, he always wears a collar. A harness fits snugly around his shoulders. When he treads on dangerous…

Pruning out old roses with bypass pruners.

Jump into Summer with these IPM Webinars!

May 21, 2026

By Yulie Velez

Looking to keep your brain stimulated this summer? Need information about garden pests? Join us every third Thursday of the month from 12:00 to 1:00pm PST to learn about a wide range of urban pest management topics. This series is free and open to the public, but advance registration is …

Emerald Ash Borer adults emerging from a tree.

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week is May 17-23, 2026

May 15, 2026

By Cherie Shook

Every year, Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week reminds us that one small insect can have a massive impact on our communities. The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive metallic green beetle that has caused the death of millions of ash trees across North America, killing nearly 100% of unprotected street trees…

Black, wilted blossoms affected by fire blight on a fruit tree.

Look Out for Fire Blight!

May 6, 2026

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

A warm March followed by rain in April and May in many parts of California has set up the perfect conditions for the development of an unsightly and damaging tree disease called fire blight. Pome fruit trees like pear and apple, and other related trees like pyracantha, are all susceptible to this bacterial…

A long, slender, light brown insect that resembles a stick walking on a tree branch.

Stick Insects Are Cool but Can Damage Your Plants

May 5, 2026

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

Have you ever seen a walking stick insect, maybe in a museum display or at an entomology demonstration? They look just like twigs and are fascinating creatures. This makes them popular as pets in classrooms and homes. However, if pet walking sticks are accidentally or purposefully let out of their cages,…

A small grey beetle with a long snout that curves downward standing on a green yellow starthistle leaf.

The Good Bugs That Control Invasive Pests (Part 2)

April 13, 2026

By Lindsey Hack

In Part 1 of this story, we covered some basics of biological control. Now let’s talk about some of the good bugs helping to control invasive pests in California. Controlling yellow starthistle one weevil at a time Yellow starthistle (or YST) is a harmful invasive plant that is established and…

Urban Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

We work with professionals to improve pest control through research and education in order to protect our communities and the environment.

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This website provides information about urban integrated pest management (IPM) and highlights the activities of UC ANR's urban IPM program in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Residential Home and Garden IPM

IPM for your Home & Garden

Commercial Landscape IPM

IPM for Commercial Landscapes

Structural Industrial IPM

IPM for Structural & Industrial Settings

amsutherland@ucanr.edu

Contact information:

Dr. Andrew M Sutherland

SF Bay Area IPM Advisor

(510) 670-5624 office

(510) 499-2930 cell

visit the University of California's Integrated Pest Management website: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/

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