Summer is all about being outdoors and enjoying camping, swimming, playing, and other activities with family and friends. But it's a real drag when pests such as ants, yellowjackets, or mosquitoes ruin the fun.
When you have a pest problem and want to find a solution quickly, it can be helpful to watch a short video that tells you what you can do. In UC IPM's Video Library, you will find over 30 helpful videos on these and other common pests that are active in summer or other times of the year.
1. Ants: Using a Sticky Barrier to Prevent Ants on Trees and Shrubs
Warming temperatures combined with late spring rains create ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed, including the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus. To help spread the message about mosquito prevention, April 15-21, 2018 has been designated as Mosquito and West Nile Virus Awareness Week.
West Nile Virus is spread by mosquitoes that get the virus from infected birds. Mosquitoes infected with the virus can transfer it to humans and other animals. Humans infected with the virus may become very ill. The disease usually is most serious in children, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. In 2017, California reported 553 human cases of West Nile Virus, which included 44...
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...
Record-breaking heat continues to scald California, leading many of us to water our landscapes and gardens more. While the water is good for plants and helps us cool down, even the smallest amount of standing water mixed with high temperatures create an ideal climate for mosquito breeding. Use the following tips to help reduce mosquito habitats and protect yourself from being bitten.
Tip #1: Mosquitoes need water for the larval stage of their life cycle. Eliminate breeding sites in your yard by:
- Draining any containers that hold standing water; even something as small as a flower pot saucer can harbor mosquitoes.
- Emptying out bird baths once per week.
- Protecting ponds by using...
![Adult mosquito. [J.K.Clark]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/42359small.jpg)
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...
