March 18-24 was National Poison Prevention Week. While our blog post may be tardy, it's never too late to raise awareness about the risks associated with using pesticides and how to protect yourself and your family from accidental poisoning.
Pesticides are any substance used to kill, repel, or deter unwanted organisms, including insects, spiders, weeds, plant diseases, or animal pests such as rodents. In most situations, effective nonchemical options exist to control pests. However, if you decide to use a pesticide, please consider the following...
Spring is almost here and temperatures are already increasing. Warm, sunny days paired with stagnant water left over from rainstorms create the perfect mosquito breeding habitat.
It's too soon to tell the future regarding the intensity of the West Nile virus in California. However, more rainfall means there is an increased potential for mosquito breeding sites.
Your active participation can help reduce mosquito populations. Follow these guidelines:
- Dump water out of buckets, tires, flowerpots and other containers.
- Clean clogged rain gutters.
- Eliminate tarps or other sources that hold water.
- Keep screen doors and windows in good condition.
- Report neglected swimming...
Do you plan to stay in a hotel during the holidays this year? If so, do you know how to look for bed bugs and prevent them from coming home with you? UC IPM can help. We have detailed information as well as videos to help make your holidays bed bug-free.
Why Do Hotels Harbor Bed Bugs?
Until recently, bed bugs were typically associated with crowded and run-down hotels or housing. However, bed bug infestations are on the rise and can even be found in the finest hotels! The reason for this pest's resurgence isn't totally understood, but appears to involve increased global travel, ease of movement of infested items, widespread insecticide resistance, and changes in pesticides available for control.
What are Bed...
/h2>- Author: Mary Louise Flint
One of the best ways to reduce pest problems in and around buildings is to construct or retrofit structures that keep pests out in the first place. This concept has been a pillar of integrated pest management for many years. Pest-resistant buildings reduce not only pest problems but also the need for pesticide applications. Unfortunately, architects and builders had few guidelines about how to design and construct such structures.
To address this issue, the San Francisco Department of the Environment and the International Code Council developed an online publication, Pest Prevention by Design, which provides the first comprehensive resource on pest-preventive building design tactics.
Specific guidelines are...
March 20-26 is National Poison Prevention Week. Every third week in March, the Poison Prevention Week Council holds this event to highlight the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them and ensure the safety of children and adults.
Pesticides are a common types of poison that are found in many people's homes. Poisoning can happen when pesticides are not stored correctly and/or disposed of properly. Here are a few tips for keeping people and pets safe:
- Products should be kept tightly capped in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children and pets.
- Always keep pesticides in their original container.
- Never dispose of...