- (Public Value) UCANR: Building climate-resilient communities and ecosystems
Are grasshoppers taking over your garden? Within the last week, we've received several reports of large populations of these pests covering people's plants, especially in Northern California.
Grasshoppers are a sporadic garden pest. Some years you might only notice and few, and other years their populations can boom. Outbreaks usually occur every 8 to 10 years in California, sometimes lasting 1 to 3 years.
The most destructive and widespread grasshopper species is known as the “devastating grasshopper” or Melanoplus devastator. Adults are light gray to tan with dark stripes on their legs. Nymphs are pale yellow,...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Check out UC IPM's new YouTube series IPM with Diego! These short videos are presented from the viewpoint of Diego, a teenager who is not an expert in pest management. However, he explains basic integrated pest management concepts using simple terms and examples that anyone can do.
The series currently includes four videos:
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
- Posted by: Lauren Fordyce
The invasive pest spotlight focuses on emerging or potential invasive pests in California. In this issue, we cover the brown widow spider.
Brown Widow Spider Facts
The brown widow spider became established in Southern California in 2000 and appears to be displacing the black widow in some of its habitats, especially in urban areas. They build their webs in secluded areas around homes and in vegetation. Mature female brown widows are smaller than mature female western black widows. The normal brown widow spider coloration is a mottled mixture of tan, brown, and gray. It has a lengthwise stripe halfway up the back side of the abdomen with two isolated dots in front of it and diagonal stripes on...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
The UC IPM Urban & Community Program hosts monthly webinars that are free and open to the public. Join us every third Thursday from 12pm-1pm for helpful pest related information. All webinars are recorded and posted on the UC IPM YouTube channel soon after.
Upcoming
10/20/22: Trees for a Changing Climate
With fall finally here, now is a great time to plant trees and shrubs. However, before you head to the nursery, consider attending this webinar on Trees for a Changing Climate. On October 20, 2022, UC ANR Environmental Horticulture Advisor Janet Hartin will discuss some underutilized trees that are heat, drought, and pest resistant. Sign up...