The Zika virus is spread to people mainly through the bite of an infected mosquito, mostly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. People can also get the Zika virus through sexual contact with an infected person, and the virus can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her developing fetus, which can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is currently no vaccine to prevent the disease or any drugs to treat it. The best way to prevent Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus, is to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites. Aedes mosquitoes are considered day biters, so it's important to...

Bat Week is an annual event to celebrate this small, flying mammal, and what better time to talk bats than at Halloween? Although they are often depicted as spooky, blood-sucking creatures, in reality, most bats eat insects and are helpful to people.

Bats in the Landscape

California is home to over 25 bat species, but most people never see them because they are nocturnal. Bats can be helpful predators in the landscape. For example, did you know that some bats will eat stink bugs, cucumber beetles, mosquitoes, and flies? Or that some bats can eat their body weight in insects every night?

Bats as Pests

Unfortunately, sometimes bats can concern people, especially...

[From the August 2016 issue of the UC IPM Retail Newsletter]

Concerns over the Zika virus have been all over the news lately, so you may be getting questions about mosquito repellents and how customers can protect themselves from mosquitoes.

The Zika virus is spread to people mainly through the bite of an infected mosquito, mostly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. People can also get the Zika virus through sexual contact with an infected person, and the virus can also be passed from a pregnant woman to her developing fetus, which can cause a serious birth defect called...