- Author: Andrew M Sutherland
- Author: Brandon Kitagawa
Multi-unit housing (MUH), such as apartment complexes and single-room occupancy (SRO) buildings, can harbor significant infestations of cockroaches, bed bugs, rodents, and other pests. Structural continuity (shared walls of adjacent units), budgetary constraints, poor maintenance and infrastructure, and cultural and social factors allow pests to infest and thrive in these environments.
Many of these pests threaten public health and wellbeing of the residents. For instance, German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) produce proteins that can be found in their feces and exoskeletons that, when dispersed into the air, can be inhaled, causing asthma in children.
Pest management is often conducted in response to...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Weed management in landscaped areas can be challenging. Weeds may need to be controlled for public safety, fire reduction, aesthetics, and elimination of harborage for other pests. While many nonchemical options for controlling weeds exist—such as physical removal with tools, steam, flame or steam devices, grazing animals, and others—there are some situations that may require the application of herbicides.
For decades, glyphosate has been a common active ingredient used to control weeds in both agricultural and nonagricultural settings. However, there has been significant public concern about the use of glyphosate and other herbicides due to their potential...
- Author: Niamh M Quinn
Where is rodenticide exposure in wildlife coming from? Is it from use by residents or farmers? Applications by marijuana growers? Or from applications by qualified and trained structural pest control professionals? These questions are being asked by state legislators and regulators, special interest groups, and state pest associations across the country.
However, even though we don't fully know where all the exposure is coming from, action is already being taken to restrict the use of rodenticides in urban areas. In 2020, California legislators placed a moratorium on almost all uses of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide. And local jurisdictions have also added restrictions to rodenticide use. For example, in...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
[Originally published in the Winter 2019 issue of the Green Bulletin]
What is UC IPM?
UC IPM is a statewide program within the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. We are dedicated to helping all Californians manage pests around the home, in the landscape, on the farm, in schools, and even on the pet. Our philosophy focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through using a combination of techniques such as building out pests, modifying maintenance practices, excluding pests, using...
/h2>/span>- Author: Niamh Quinn
In October 2016, the University of California Cooperative Extension, Orange County, in association with the Pest Control Operators of California, Target Specialty Products, and Univar, hosted a three-day West Coast Rodent Academy for pest management professionals. The event was held at University of California's Agricultural and Natural Resources South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, CA.
At the academy, participants learned about rodent identification, rodent disease, sanitation, monitoring, trapping, and urban rodent surveys. Participants were provided with opportunities to learn about good environmental stewardship practices and provided with updates on the laws and regulations concerning trapping and the use of...