- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) is an invasive, aquatic weed that can be found in many slow-moving fresh water bodies in California. The plant forms large mats that can crowd out native plants, restrict water flow, and interfere with boating and fishing. These mats can reduce habitat for fish and other wildlife, degrade water quality, and increase the risk of flooding.
Hydrilla is easily spread since it often breaks apart into tiny pieces that can each produce new plants. It also produces special survival structures on the stems (turions) and in the sediment (tubers). Each tuber can produce a new plant. The tubers can survive up to seven years in the sediment before sprouting, even if no water is...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Aedes mosquitoes can transmit some of the most debilitating and deadly mosquito-borne pathogens to humans, such as Zika virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and yellow fever virus. One Aedes species is also capable of transmitting heartworm to dogs. These invasive mosquitoes are now present in many regions of California, from Shasta County to San Diego County. View a map of Aedes distribution by county.
The yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti), the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), and the Australian backyard mosquito (Aedes notoscriptus) are unlike...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Help increase public awareness of invasive species and encourage participation in the ongoing fight against invasive species by celebrating California Invasive Species Action Week (CISAW) June 1- 9, 2024.
Invasive species include non-native plants, animals, and pathogens that can negatively impact our waters, native ecosystems, agriculture, health, and economy. Every day this week, UC IPM will share information spotlighting a different invasive species, its impacts, and what you can do to help.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog posts and check out the resources below to learn more about invasive species:
- Read UC IPM's previous blog posts on
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
- Contributor: Roger A Baldwin
In this blog article we answer some frequently asked questions about moles, voles, and gophers and their management.
How can I tell if I have moles, voles, gophers, or something else?
Moles: look for circular or volcano-shaped mounds with the plug in the middle, or a plug may not be apparent. The soil of mole mounds tends to be clumpier than gophers. Moles sometimes leave a raised ridge just beneath the soil surface while hunting for food.
Voles: look for aboveground runways that connect burrow openings. Grass usually covers the burrows. Voles can girdle trees...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Indoor food waste bins (also known as kitchen bins or compost bins) have become a popular addition to Californian homes. They are a great way to collect food scraps and divert food waste from landfills, but they can sometimes attract pest insects like maggots, ants, and fruit flies. Below are some tips for keeping a pest-free food waste bin:
- Empty and clean indoor food waste bins frequently. Dump the food waste into your outdoor compost pile, drop it off at a composting facility, or place it into your municipal green waste bin. Emptying your indoor bin frequently (even if it's not full) can make it less attractive to pests and...