October is a perfect time to talk about spiders! People decorate for Halloween with scary images of spiders and webs. Many people fear spiders but what you may not know is that they are helpful in our homes and landscapes.

Spiders you might find wandering in your home or hanging out in your garden are beneficial predators, eating pest insects like flies, mosquitoes, and numerous other undesirable bugs in and around landscapes.

Whether you are curious as to what kind of spider you found or you are looking for ways to get rid of them, UC IPM has the information you need in the newly revised free publication, Pest Notes: Spiders. Author...

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:...

Sooty mold is a black fungal growth that looks like a layer of soot covering the leaves of a plant or a sidewalk. The aptly named disease is common in gardens and landscapes, appearing wherever a large infestation of plant-sucking insects are found. Sooty mold grows on honeydew, a sticky substance excreted by plant-sucking insects.

While sooty mold doesn't actually damage plants or other surfaces, a thick growth of the fungus can block light to plant leaves, reducing photosynthesis. This can lead to stunted growth and premature leaf drop.

The key to reducing sooty mold is management of honeydew-producing insects,...

Most of us have experienced itchy skin from a biting insect at least once in our lives. Insects and spiders such as mosquitoes, ticks, mites, bed bugs, fleas, and head lice can and do bite people. But have you ever felt like something bit you, but you didn't see what did it? This happens to all of us from time to time, but some may feel like they are getting bit constantly, are itchy, or have the sensation that bugs are crawling on them or underneath their skin. Yet they can't find the bugs. Because the insects may be too small or too fast to catch, it might be hard to convince others of the problem.

This unexplained itching feeling can be very bothersome to those experiencing it and can lead to stress. The issue is addressed in...