If you have ants climbing up and down trees and shrubs in your landscape, and your trees and shrubs appear to have a sticky substance covering their leaves, you'll want to watch UC IPM's newest YouTube video, “Using a Sticky Barrier to Prevent Ants on Trees and Shrubs”.
The short video explains that the sticky substance on your leaves is honeydew, a sugary substance excreted by aphids, psyllids and a few other plant pests. Ants harvest this...
Every summer, a handful of insect pests can become a real nuisance when they invade your space, bite, or sting you. Whether you take a staycation or a vacation, you'll want to watch our videos for tips on how to deal with these pests when you encounter them.
1 Ants: What to do if you have an ant emergency
2 Bed bugs: Don't bring bed bugs home when you travel!
3 Mosquitoes:...
/h2>/h2>/h2>Download the free booklet at the bottom of the page!
1. Ants
Most people deal with ants around their home at some point. Because most ants live outdoors, focus efforts on keeping ants from entering buildings by caulking entryways. Follow good sanitation practices to make your home less attractive to ants. Spraying ants inside the home will not prevent more ants from entering. Use baits to control the ant colony. Pesticide baits work by attracting worker ants who then take the poison back to the nest where the entire colony, including queens, can be killed. In the landscape, ants protect...
/h2>- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
There have been 17 Asian citrus psyllid finds in various parts of Tulare County recently, bringing the county-wide total to 384. The finds were mostly in residential areas in the county, but several were from groves and a juice plant. The Tulare County grower liaisons are working with grove owners to address the finds in and near commercial groves.
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program asks homeowners and growers to remain diligent and monitor their trees regularly for this devastating pest.
Please review the University of California recommendations for how to effectively respond if a psyllid were to be found in your backyard tree.
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Seeing ants inside your house lately? As Californians enjoy the long-awaited rainfall, something linked to rain is not as welcome: ants.
Ants often enter buildings seeking food and water, warmth and shelter, or refuge from dry, hot weather or flooded conditions. They may appear suddenly in buildings if other food sources become unavailable or weather conditions change.
One such ant we see headed indoors during rainy conditions in California, is the Argentine ant. The Argentine ant is about 1/8 of an inch long and dull brown in color. It's normally found living in the landscape in shallow nests, and might even be living just outside your building. When rainy weather floods their nest, Argentine ants may use your home or...