The common insecticide imidacloprid, and the related active ingredients acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, and thiamethoxam, belong to the pesticide group neonicotinoids. Neonicotinoids have been linked to the decline in honey bee and other pollinator populations. To address these concerns, the California legislature recently put into law AB 363.
Starting January 1, 2025, neonicotinoid pesticides in California for non-agricultural outdoor use will only be available for sale at licensed pest control dealers and limited for possession and use by certified pesticide applicators. Sale of neonicotinoids in retail nurseries and garden centers and the possession or use of these pesticides by unlicensed applicators will no...
Rainy, cool weather is fast approaching for many parts of California. To help you determine what to do in the landscape during this time of the year UC IPM offers a Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist. The online checklist provides monthly pest management to-dos for your region so you can prevent pests and their damage in the garden and landscape.
Here are some general pest tips for the month of November:
- Apply a preventive spray for peach leaf curl once or more AFTER leaf drop in the fall if peach leaf curl has been a problem on nectarine or...
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Forget the bats, spiders, and black cats. If you want to learn about some truly spooky creatures this Halloween, keep reading!
Many people are familiar with insect predators, like lady beetles/ladybugs, that eat other insects. But not many know about another type of good bug or “natural enemy”—parasitoids. These creepy insects can help reduce pest populations by parasitizing them.
What is a parasitoid?
Parasites such as fleas and ticks live and feed on their host without killing it. Parasitoids are like parasites but DO eventually kill their host....
If you recently planted cabbage, broccoli, or kale, (often called Brassicas and cole crops) keep an eye out for cabbageworms!
The adult cabbageworm is a white butterfly with one to four black spots on its wings. They lay eggs individually on the leaves of brassica plants. Larvae are green caterpillars that chew on the leaves and may also damage cabbage heads.
Prevent cabbageworm butterflies from laying eggs on your vegetables by covering plants with a floating row cover or insect netting. Check leaves for tiny cabbageworm eggs and squish them. Cabbageworm caterpillars can also be handpicked or squished. Pesticides such as