- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Healthy Soils Week (Dec. 4-8) is a week-long initiative by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to highlight the importance of soil health throughout California.
Healthy soils can improve crop yields, sequester carbon, reduce erosion, and increase biodiversity. In addition, they can reduce pest problems and pesticide and fertilizer use. Healthy soils lead to healthy plants which are less susceptible to pest attacks and can better tolerate and recover from pest pressure.
In integrated pest management (IPM) we promote the use of cultural control methods to improve soil and plant health, making an environment less conducive for pests to...
- Author: Andrew M Sutherland
Baits Eliminate and Prevent Subterranean Termite Colonies
Subterranean termites (Family Rhinotermitidae) are considered the most serious wood-destroying pests in the world, causing an estimated $32 billion in global economic impact each year. California is home to both native and introduced subterranean termite species (Figure 1). Infestations of wooden structures are widespread and common. Pest control operators (PCOs) have conventionally applied liquid termiticides to control these pests, usually as soil drenches or injections around structures. These treatments may not always be effective, however, especially if good underground coverage is not achieved, if local termite...
It's #GivingTuesday! – a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals to celebrate generosity.
If you've utilized the extensive UC IPM website and our free publications, watched one of our webinars or videos, read our newsletter, or shared our social media posts on Facebook or Instagram, you've seen how #GivingTuesday donations help produce important information, tools, and trainings...
The holiday season is fast approaching! With many people traveling and visiting new places during this time, it's important to understand how to check for bed bugs and prevent them from coming home with you.
Regardless of what type of lodging you choose–hotel, motel, cabin, or other type of rental–no place is immune to bed bug introductions or infestations. Follow these tips for a bed bug-free holiday.
When settling into your room
- Before putting your luggage down on the bed, couch, or floor, do a quick bed bug check. You can either leave the luggage in the hall or place it in the bathtub, where bed bugs...
With Thanksgiving and its generous tradition of sharing coming up next week, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is urgently reminding Californians in fruit fly quarantine zones that they should not be moving homegrown produce off their property.
There are seven different fruit fly quarantines currently active in California, in the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Sacramento, Riverside, San Bernardino, Contra Costa and Santa Clara. These invasive fruit flies can be spread to new areas on fruits and vegetables so the movement of these products is...
