Pests in the Urban Landscape

Lady beetles (known more commonly as ladybugs) are often sold in nurseries and garden centers to control aphids. But will releasing them actually solve your pest problem, and if so, how can you release them correctly? There are about 200 species of lady beetles in California, varying in color, size, and…

Hantavirus has been in the news a lot lately. Betsy Arakawa, wife of the late actor Gene Hackman, recently passed away in New Mexico due to the disease and California has already seen 3 hantavirus-related deaths this year. In this article we share information to help you understand hantavirus and what you…

Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…

When using pesticides and other garden chemicals, you should always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep yourself safe. Pesticides can enter the body via the eyes, skin, nose, or mouth. The skin is the most common way pesticides enter our bodies, usually by splashing, spillage, or spray drift…

Join UC IPM for a free webinar on the invasive Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) and other important oak tree pests on April 10, 2025 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that infests several species of white oaks in California: valley oak, blue oak,…