Rodent Awareness Week (October 18-24) is a campaign created by the National Pest Management Association to educate the public about the potential harm associated with rats and mice. In addition to damage to structures and property, rodents can transmit disease to other animals and humans.

See our collection of blog posts on the integrated pest management of rodents or our website for rodent and vertebrate management including Pest Notes:...

As the days get shorter and the temperatures begin to cool, now is the time to practice weed management for annual cool-season weeds. It's also not too early to consider management for weeds that emerge in springtime.

Using integrated pest management (IPM) methods can help reduce the presence of most weeds. In lawns, good practices such as proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing can help maintain healthy turfgrass. Likewise, in landscapes, hand-weeding, cultivation, and use of mulches can be effective in controlling weeds. More specific information about these and other IPM practices can be found in our Pest Notes publications on

We don't often find flies such a popular topic of conversation, but given recent events, we'd like to seize the moment to share some science-based information about their status as both pests and beneficial insects.

Flies can be nuisance insects both indoors and outdoors. There are many species of flies in California with some being more problematic than others. In UC IPM's publication Pest Notes: Flies, the authors provide information about identification, habitat, damage, and management of several common flies including house flies and face flies.

You may be surprised to learn that some flies are actually beneficial insects. Many flies in the...

Damage and...