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...

Most people don't think about rats or mice until they become pests in or around the home. But with experts predicting that these pests will be particularly bad this upcoming winter, you might want to spend some more time rodent-proofing your home and other buildings.

A new report from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) predicts an increase in rodent infestations from the cool, wet weather we've had in California. When temperatures...

You've likely come across a bee, wasp, or hornet this summer. While these insects can cause painful stings, and allergic reactions for some, they are not usually aggressive. In the landscape, they can be beneficial by providing pollination to plants and, for some, preying on pest insects. And luckily for Californians, there is no need to fear the Asian giant hornet (now officially renamed to northern giant hornet), also known as the “murder hornet”, since this insect has not yet been found in the state.

While sometimes beneficial, these insects can also create nests in unfavorable locations and become a nuisance around picnics and...

Many of us at UC IPM are cat lovers and owners. Cats are popular household pets that bring joy and companionship to many families. Feral cats, on the other hand, can cause problems in our communities and around our homes and gardens.

Feral cats are unsocialized, unowned cats that live outdoors. The problems they can cause are well documented. Feral cats are not treated by owners or veterinarians so they can carry contagious diseases like flea-borne typhus and rabies, and parasites like hookworm and fleas which can affect pets, humans, and other animals. Cats are also well-known hunters of songbirds and can significantly impact wildlife populations. While feral cats hunt, they do not completely control populations of house mice...