Pests in the Urban Landscape

It’s almost Halloween, so many of us are thinking about jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, and mummies. When you think of a mummy, you probably imagine the scary kind inspired by the ancient Egyptian ritual of preserving the bodies of the dead. When we talk about mummies at UC IPM, we mean something completely…

Have you noticed groups of black bugs with colorful markings hanging out on the sidewalk or your porch? Maybe you’ve seen them on fruit trees or in your veggie garden. It can seem like they’re everywhere, but what are they? Where you find them can give you a clue about what they are and how to handle…

Urban and suburban areas are important habitats for migrating birds, but birds can also quickly become a nuisance or economic issue when they nest on buildings, homes, and other structures. Their activities can result in disruptive noises, lead to potential structural damage, and their droppings can create…

Crabgrass popping up in your lawn or landscape can be aggravating, but don't despair -- you can manage this common annual weed with integrated pest management!  First, make sure that you are dealing with crabgrass and not a lookalike grass like dallisgrass or bermudagrass. The newly revised Pest Notes:…

Fall is officially here! Even though the weather is still warm in many places in California, leaves are beginning to drop and things are starting to slow down in our gardens. It’s time to prepare for garden and landscape pest problems that could come with the changing season. Did you know that UC IPM…