- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A perennial bane in many California gardens, brown snails were intentionally introduced into a vineyard in the mid-1800s in Santa Clara County "with an eye to the pot," reported Dan Brekke on KQED News. The snails are highly prized in Europe as escargot. The brown snail joined many other species of native and non-native snails and slugs that are detailed on a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources website dedicated to the slimy mollusks.
Approximately 280 species...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Bats prey on insects and can consume as much as their body weight in insects per night. Rachael Long, UC ANR Cooperative Extension farm advisor, discussed how bats protect walnut orchards with Capital Public Radio show Insight host Beth Ruyak. Long's research has found that each bat provides about $10 worth of pest control savings for walnut growers.
California farmers produce most of the nation's walnuts, about 500,000 tons of walnuts on 290,000 acres, with an annual crop value of $1.8 billion.
Long, who works on field crops and pest control in Yolo, Sacramento and Solano counties, noted...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Just in time for Christmas, UC Cooperative Extension advisor Rachel Long releases a book that will introduce children to the fascinating world of bats, said an article in the Woodland Record. "Gold Fever," the first in the "Black Rock Desert Trilogy," in already for sale at some outlets, but is scheduled to be officially released Dec. 4.
In the book, 9-year-old Jack is searching for gold with his dad in the Black Rock Range, when he falls into a cave. He befriends a bat named Pinta and a coyote pup named Sonny, who are determined to help him find his way home.
Tate...
