- Author: Cheryl Reynolds
November has arrived, and before you know it we'll be ringing in 2018! For those who hold a license or certificate from the Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), and have a last name starting with the letter M through Z, this is your year to renew.
DPR is urging license and certificate holders to mail in applications now to avoid late fees and to allow enough time for processing so that you can receive your new license or certificate by the beginning of the new year. Renewing early gives DPR time to notify you if you are short any continuing education (CE) hours and allows you time to complete any additional CE courses without having to retest.
If you need more hours to complete your renewal application and...
The Urban Entomology Program at the University of California, Riverside and AgriTurf Distributing are joining forces to present The UCR Fumigation School on Wednesday and Thursday, November 15 and 16, 2017. Classes will be held at UCR Extension, 1200 University Ave., Riverside, CA.
The 2-day program will feature presentations on the biology of termites, wood-destroying beetles, and bed bugs, physical properties and mode of action of fumigants, structural inspections, and regulatory issues. In addition to classroom training activities, participants will visit an actual demonstration site to review aspects of the preparation of structures prior to fumigation. The class size will be limited to 50 attendees to enhance interaction...
With Halloween again upon us, what better time to unearth a few true horror stories of reported pesticide accidents from DPR and county agricultural commissioners' records?
These recent tales illustrate the perils of misusing or carelessly handling pesticides. Sadly, they were all avoidable.
The point of sharing them is not to embarrass anyone, but, rather, to educate people. As such, DPR is withholding names and some other details that could identify the people involved.
Hopefully, sharing these true horror stories can prevent future injuries or even deaths.
DON'T STORE PESTICIDES NEAR KIDS!
Every year, county agricultural commissioners, who handle enforcement of state...
Halloween is a time when many people enjoy having creatures come to their homes in search of treats. But what about unwanted indoor visitors with six or more legs? Here are three types of creatures that might bring a chill to your spine if you find them in your house.
Spiders
Many people in the world fear spiders. Sure, they might be creepy, but in general, spiders are beneficial because they feed on pest insects both inside and outside the home. One spider that is cause for concern in California is the black widow. Wait, what? Not the brown...
Summer may be over, but continued warm weather means that mosquitoes are still active. So far this year, 361 cases of the mosquito-borne illness West Nile Virus (WNV) have been reported* in 23 California counties from Imperial to Shasta. Sadly, 18 of these cases resulted in death. The disease is most serious in children, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly.
Mosquitoes that can transmit WNV breed in aquatic environments like ponds or other sources of stagnant water such as roof gutters, bird baths, and swimming pools.
You can minimize mosquito habitat in your landscape by:
- Cleaning rain gutters and downspouts to remove debris.
- Sealing rain barrels. Keep all filters and prefilters...