You may not think about rodents such as rats, mice, or gophers until they become a pest around your home. Because rodents can be major pests in and around homes, gardens, landscapes, restaurants, and other buildings, each year pest control experts “celebrate” Rodent Awareness Week. Rodent Awareness Week (October 16-22) is an annual campaign created by the National Pest Management Association to educate the public about the potential harm associated with rats and mice. In addition to damaging structures and property, rodents can transmit diseases to humans and other animals. During the fall and winter months, rodents will seek food and shelter in...

Many parks, recreational areas, and outdoor venues in California are home to yellowjacket wasps (Vespula spp.). Yellowjackets are commonly attracted to human food items, creating a serious nuisance and a potential stinging threat. If found, nests (usually underground) can be effectively treated with targeted insecticide applications (e.g., dusts containing pyrethroids). However, baiting could be a feasible alternative method to suppress yellowjackets over a wide  area, especially if nests cannot be located. Currently, only one active ingredient (esfenvalerate) is registered for use within bait in California to control yellowjackets,...

Two species of Blatta cockroaches can be common peridomestic pests in California, including the familiar oriental cockroach (B. orientalis) and a relative newcomer, the Turkestan cockroach (B. lateralis, Figure 1).  Adults of both species are large (usually one inch or more in length) and conspicuous insects that harbor and breed outdoors within moist crevices around structures, such as subsurface utility ports, voids associated with concrete expansion joints, and soil cracks formed at junctions of landscape and hardscape elements (Figure 2).

From these harborage sites, cockroaches venture out at night to feed on a wide variety of...