Pests in the Urban Landscape

Ripe, juicy, sweet blackberries: what's not to love? Blackberries are grown for us to eat and enjoy, but some species can be considered weeds when they take over home landscapes, roadsides and waterways, and other areas.

The invasive pest spotlight focuses on emerging or potential invasive pests in California. In this issue, we cover the brown widow spider.

While venomous spiders like black widows are well-known, there are many harmless spiders that live in and around our homes and outdoor areas. Spiders are beneficial because they prey on insects and other pests. Most spiders are not likely to bite you and are not dangerous.

You may not think about rodents such as rats, mice, or gophers until they become a pest around your home. Because rodents can be major pests in and around homes, gardens, landscapes, restaurants, and other buildings, each year pest control experts celebrate Rodent Awareness Week.

Arachnophobia: Should You Be Afraid of Spiders? Fear of spiders, arachnophobia, is a widespread problem in western societies. This fear is not only of spiders but can extend to all land arthropods with more than six legsthe arachnids.