Pests in the Urban Landscape

Urban neighborhood and park.

The Pests in the Urban Landscape blog shares the latest resources and information from the UC IPM Urban & Community team to help you sustainably manage pests in the home, garden, and landscape. 

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Life stages of the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus). From left to right: adult female, adult male, nymph, and larva. Photo by CDPH.

Ticks and Lyme Disease

May 4, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
In honor of Lyme Disease Awareness Month and in response to some misinformation about ticks on social media recently, we'd like to share some tick and Lyme disease facts. Ticks can spread several diseases to humans and pets, but Lyme disease is the most common.
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Common white grubs. The species left to right are: Japanese beetle, European chafer, and June beetle. Photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

What are white grubs?

May 2, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
You may be noticing white grubs in your compost piles, lawns, or garden beds. These white, c-shaped critters can be 1/4 inch long or 2 inches long, depending on the species.
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An adult lady beetle (ladybug) on a flower.

Earth Day and IPM

April 20, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
What do Earth Day and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) have in common?
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A vole, also known as a meadow mouse. [Credit: Jack Kelly Clark]

Voles in Your Yard?

April 12, 2023
By Lauren Fordyce
Voles are small, mouselike rodents that can be pests in gardens and landscapes. They damage many types of plants with their gnawing, from vegetables to turf to trees. Voles can gnaw completely around the trunk or roots of trees, causing girdling, which can kill trees.
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