Every spring, we see pictures and artwork of adorable Easter bunnies-- cute, little rabbits that deliver gifts of chocolate and other goodies to our children.

However, while “bunny rabbits” are cute, rabbits can also be very destructive pests year-round in the garden and landscape. This is especially true if your home is near wild or uncultivated lands, parks, or greenbelts. These places provide resting and hiding cover during the day for rabbits.

Rabbits can damage ornamental plants, vegetable plants, herbs, trees, and berry crops. They also gnaw and cut plastic irrigation lines, especially small diameter tubes.

There are eight species of rabbits found in California. Three of them are widespread and...

Termite Awareness Week (March 16-22) is a campaign created by the National Pest Management Association to call attention to the damage termites can cause to structures and to make sure homeowners understand how to prevent and deal with termite infestations.

Did you know?

• Of the 23 species of termites in California, only three are considered pests. The three pest species are dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termites.
  
  
• Subterranean termites are the most common in California. They can be found infesting wood that is in contact with the soil, including structural lumber in homes and landscapes, as...

Basketball fans may have heard that last Saturday, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving was bitten by bed bugs in a recent hotel stay in Oklahoma.

Bed bug encounters are on the rise throughout the United States and no hotel is completely immune to potential infestations. Unfortunately, Mr. Irving didn't know about checking for bed bugs in his hotel room before settling in.

Don't let this happen to you! Watch UC IPM's short video on how to inspect your hotel room for bed bugs.

I'll bet Kyrie checks all his hotel rooms for signs of

Today's post for National Invasive Species Week highlights two ambrosia beetles that are detrimental to certain trees. Ambrosia beetles are highly specialized beetles that excavate tunnels in usually weakened or dead trees and cultivate fungal gardens, which they feed upon. Below are two such invasive beetle-fungal complexes that are currently impacting trees and forests in California.

Walnut twig beetle and thousand cankers disease. Walnut twig beetle, Pityophthorus juglandis, is a tiny bark beetle that attacks only walnut trees. The beetle has been in California for many decades but recently became associated with a new fungus, Geosmithia morbida. The fungus kills the phloem and cambium of...