- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Check out our webinars planned for summer 2024:
June 20, 2024 - Flea Control & Diseases: Starting from Scratch
Fleas are small but mighty insects that are important medical and veterinary pests. They can vector pathogens and parasites, and their bites cause discomfort and irritation. In this webinar you'll learn how to keep yourself and pets safe from fleas and flea-borne diseases.
July 18, 2024 - Common Wood Decay Fungi in Landscape Trees of California
Trees are a valuable part of our landscapes. However, older trees can harbor wood decay fungi, which can be associated with an increased risk of tree failure or branch breakage. In this webinar, urban forestry expert Igor Lacan will discuss some wood decay fungi that are commonly seen on trees in urban landscapes in California, the effect(s) of fungi on the tree, and related considerations in tree management.
August 15, 2024 - Back to School Pests
With students heading back to school, now is a good time to talk about pests in schools and childcare centers. In this webinar, Karey Windbiel-Rojas will talk about head lice, bed bugs, rats, cockroaches, and more. We will also cover the use of disinfectant wipes and pesticide safety.
September 19, 2024 - Improving Professional Ant Control Services
In California, the Argentine ant is among the most common nuisance ant species treated by pest management professionals and the general public. In this webinar, you will learn how the university researchers and pest management companies are working together to improve pest ant management in urban residential settings.
Webinar topics for October and November will be announced mid-summer.
To view recordings of our past webinars, visit the YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo3rG4iqv4gGC9sa9Tdl_WfCV4BNMHraI
/span>/span>- Author: Ben A Faber
Growers Invited to Avocado Lace Bug Presentation
On May 14 at 12:30 p.m., Paloma Dadlani — a graduate student under Dr. Mark Hoddle who has been spearheading avocado lace bug research funded by the California Avocado Commission — will deliver her master's thesis defense seminar. Interested California avocado growers can view the thesis defense online or attend in person at the UC Riverside Entomology Building located at 165 Citrus Drive, Riverside, CA.
The thesis covers the following topics:
- Effects of temperature on developmental and reproductive biology, and degree-day models. This work helps predict development times in the field and will inform growers on possible levels of control from hot weather events.
- Two years of population phenology data from four commercial Hass avocado orchards in San Diego County, and surveys for ALB on non-Hass avocados like GEM, Lamb Hass, Bacon, and Fuerte. Natural enemy surveys are included, and sticky card captures to monitor adult dispersal by flight.
- Updated molecular analyses on ALB populations in San Diego county (the original 2004 population in Chula Vista and National City are still there), including comparisons to the "aggressive" populations in northern San Diego County, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara Counties and the extremely damaging populations in Hawaii.