Warming temperatures combined with late spring rains create ideal conditions for mosquitoes to breed, including the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus. To help spread the message about mosquito prevention, April 15-21, 2018 has been designated as Mosquito and West Nile Virus Awareness Week.
West Nile Virus is spread by mosquitoes that get the virus from infected birds. Mosquitoes infected with the virus can transfer it to humans and other animals. Humans infected with the virus may become very ill. The disease usually is most serious in children, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. In 2017, California reported 553 human cases of West Nile Virus, which included 44...
August 11, 2016
Two more trees have been confirmed positive for Huanglongbing (HLB), the plant disease carried by an invasive insect called the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP).
One tree is located in San Gabriel and the other is in Hacienda Heights, in very close proximity to the original HLB find from 2012. As always, the California Department of Food and Agriculture worked quickly to contact the homeowners and remove the infected trees. The tree in San Gabriel has already been removed, and the tree in Hacienda Heights is scheduled to be removed today.
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program outreach team has been active with HLB education in Los Angeles for many months....
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
![Adult honey bee [Photo by J. K. Clark]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/37046small.jpg)
In observance of National Pollinator Week, we thought we'd share how you can manage pests around your home, garden, and landscape and still protect pollinators.
Natural enemies (predators, parasites, and pathogens) reduce pest populations and help prevent damage to plants. Pollinators such as domesticated honey bees, wild bees, and other pollinating insects, are essential in the production of many of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts we grow in California, both in our backyards and in commercial agriculture.
Natural enemies and pollinators can be harmed by pesticides...
![Figure 1. Honey bee on tidytips. [K.K. Garvey]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/31553small.jpg)
August 22nd is National Honey Bee Day so we thought we'd repost one of our previous articles that discussed ways gardeners can help protect honey bees.
Author: Dr. Eric Mussen, UC Cooperative Extension Apiculturist
Most people have heard about the decline in honey bees (Figures 1 and 2) during the last several years and want to help. Gardeners and landscapers who want to help protect honey bees can do so by learning more about the factors that cause bee decline and by practicing Integrated Pest Management or IPM.
Better Nutrition, Fewer Pesticides
The actual cause of...
