- Author: Belinda J. Messenger-Sikes
All mistletoes infest and grow as parasites on trees and large shrubs. In some cases, the host plant can be severely damaged. But recent studies have shown that broadleaf mistletoes can shelter and feed wildlife, including birds and small mammals. So, mistletoes are both parasitic plants and bird food!
Because mistletoes can damage trees, you may decide to do something about mistletoes infesting your trees. The first step is to find out whether you're dealing with broadleaf or dwarf mistletoe. Mistletoes differ in their life cycles, the damage they cause and management methods. UC Cooperative Extension Advisors Igor Lacan (San Mateo and San Francisco Counties), Steven Swain (Marin County) and Ed Perry (Stanislaus County,...
- Author: Elaine Lander
Recent rainfall and cool weather in many parts of the state are favorable for mushrooms that you may have been seeing in lawns. While they may be a surprising sight, mushroom-producing fungi are generally not considered to be a pest because most do not cause lawn diseases. Armillaria mushrooms indicate the presence of decaying tree roots below ground. Other mushrooms decompose underground organic matter and may be considered beneficial since they make nutrients available to lawns and other plants.
Mushrooms are the visible reproductive structures of some types of fungi. Picking or removing the structures can minimize the spread to a new site, but it won't kill the underground mycelia from which the mushrooms are growing....
The black fig fly is a new invasive species recently found in Southern California. It has been found in fig orchards in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties. This small insect attacks only figs and prefers unripe or unpollinated fruit. The adult female lays eggs inside the fig (Figure 1). The larvae that hatch inside the fig damage the fruit by feeding on it (Figure 2). The larvae will make their way out of the fruit, drop to the soil and pupate. Some may pupate inside the fig.
What can you do?
To prevent the spread of this pest, don't move figs out of the counties known to have the black fig...
/h2>Happy Halloween! Here are the answers to our haunted horrors posted earlier in the week. If you encounter these, or other pests, you can find management information and resources on our website.
1. If you're growing pumpkins or squash, you may encounter Fusarium crown and foot rot. These lesions are typically firm and dry and might be considered nature's way of carving jack-o-lanterns.
2. Black widows are notoriously scary, but there are other
It's spooky season and we wanted to share a few of our favorite Halloween horror themed pests you may see now, or at other times of the year. Take a guess at what these haunted photos might be and come back on Halloween to see the answers!