February is a month where we celebrate and acknowledge many things: Black History Month, Valentine's Day, Groundhog Day, President's Day, and others. But did you know February is also National Pesticide Safety Education Month? While pesticide safety is important year round, we at UC IPM are taking time to reinforce this topic to help those who use pesticides stay safe.

Pesticides used in gardens, landscapes, and around the home include store bought products, aerosol bug sprays, weed killers (herbicides), concentrated or ready-to-use products, and even home-made mixtures used for killing pests.

Basic Pesticide Safety

1. Read the...

Insecticide foggers, also known as total release foggers or “bug bombs” (Figure 1), are popular products widely available in many retail nurseries and garden centers as well as drug stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. These easy-to-use products may seem to provide an easy way to kill a lot of bugs fast and may be viewed as more convenient and cheaper than hiring a pest management professional. But do they work?

Are Foggers Effective?

Foggers can be used effectively to kill pests that are flying around or resting on surfaces, like flies, but there are better long-term and more effective...

Starting August 1, 2020, all pesticides containing the active ingredient carbaryl will be designated as restricted materials in California, except for baits labeled only for agricultural use.

Once this regulation goes into effect, only licensed pesticide dealers can sell restricted carbaryl products and only licensed pesticide applicators will be allowed to purchase and use pesticides containing carbaryl.

After August 1, 2020 it will be unlawful to possess or use carbaryl products without an appropriate pesticide applicator license and permit. This includes home gardeners and maintenance gardeners (if they are not licensed to apply pesticides). There will not be a sell-through period for existing...

Most people are practicing social distancing due to the current pandemic, so contracting head lice might not be a top concern right now.

However, many families with young children have at least one encounter with head lice at some time or another. Finding effective ways to manage these pests can be difficult, but it is possible. And remember, anyone can get head lice.

In the newly updated Pest Notes: Head Lice, authors Victoria Leonard and Dawn Gouge bring their public health and pest management expertise to the topic of head lice management, providing easy, safe, and effective...