Pests in the Urban Landscape

Urban neighborhood and park.

The Pests in the Urban Landscape blog shares the latest resources and information from the UC IPM Urban & Community team to help you sustainably manage pests in the home, garden, and landscape. 

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Brown mouse with a white underside.
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Hantavirus: What to Know

April 21st, 2025
By Niamh M Quinn, Roger A Baldwin
Hantavirus has been in the news a lot lately. Betsy Arakawa, wife of the late actor Gene Hackman, recently passed away in New Mexico due to the disease and California has already seen 3 hantavirus-related deaths this year. In this article we share information to help you understand hantavirus and what you…
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Bermuda buttercup infesting a bed of landscaped plants.
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Spring is in the Air, and Oxalis is Everywhere

April 17th, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…
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A person wearing blue gloves on their hands is unscrewing the cap to a white container
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What Should You Wear When Using Pesticides?

April 1st, 2025
When using pesticides and other garden chemicals, you should always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep yourself safe. Pesticides can enter the body via the eyes, skin, nose, or mouth. The skin is the most common way pesticides enter our bodies, usually by splashing, spillage, or spray drift…
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Valley oak tree atop a hill of brown grass.
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Webinar: Mediterranean Oak Borer and Other Oak Pests

March 26th, 2025
By Lauren Fordyce
Join UC IPM for a free webinar on the invasive Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) and other important oak tree pests on April 10, 2025 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that infests several species of white oaks in California: valley oak, blue oak,…
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A person wearing rubber gloves using a spray bottle to spray pesticide on a rose bush outside.
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Tips for Using Pesticides Safely

February 24th, 2025
By Lauren Fordyce
At UC IPM we recognize pesticide safety education every month, but February in particular is National Pesticide Safety Education Month! Below are some simple tips for using pesticides safely to protect yourself, others, wildlife, and the environment.
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