California Invasive Species Action Week began Saturday, June 5 and runs through Sunday, June 13, 2021. Increasing public awareness of invasive species and their impacts helps protect our natural resources, waterways, native species, agriculture, and health.
UC IPM has several resources on exotic and invasive species as well as information on specific pests both present in California as well as pests that have a high likelihood of being detected in California in the near future.
You can participate in this year's activities in the following ways:
- Check out our previous blog posts on invasive species in California including what makes a weed an invasive plant, an invasive pest spotlight on shot hole borers, and what you can do to stop the spread of invasive pests.
- Attend Invasive Species Week Lunchtime Talks. Register in advance for these free webinars presented by UC ANR.
- Learn about invasive species in California's wildlands and waterways from the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- Find out if there's a pest quarantine in your area and what you can do to minimize spread from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
For more information and the full list of activities for California Invasive Species Action Week, visit their website.
- Author: Elaine Lander
In the newly revised Pest Notes: Brooms, UCCE advisor Scott Oneto and UC Davis weed scientists Joe DiTomaso and Guy Kyser explain the issues with planting these invasive species. The publication includes expanded sections on biology and management and updated herbicide information. Effective application techniques with new photographs are also in this new version.
Read more in the full Pest Notes: Brooms on the UC IPM website.
/div>Stink bugs are common pests in gardens but the brown marmorated stink bug, or BMSB, is of particular concern. BMSB (Halyomorpha halys) was first detected in Los Angeles County in 2006 and has since been detected in many other parts of California with large populations in some counties.
What does BMSB look like?
- Two white bands on the antennae
- Forward edge of head is blunt
- Margin of the shoulder is smooth
- Legs are marbled brown with faint white bands
- Membranous parts of forewings have dark bands at the tip
- Banded abdominal edge is visible to the side of the wings
What damage does BMSB cause?
BMSB can feed on more than 100 host plants including tree fruit, vegetables, shade trees, and leguminous crops. They also feed on ornamental trees and shrubs including tree-of-heaven (an invasive plant in CA), Catalpa, Southern magnolia, redbud, and Chinese pistache. Where BMSB establishes, it can cause severe crop loss, garden loss, and can become a nuisance to people. The insects swarm into homes and other buildings in late fall to find hiding places to spend the winter.
What can you do?
Report BMSB to your local county agricultural commissioner or local UC Cooperative Extension office. You can learn more about BMSB and its damage in our Pest Notes: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug.
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In California, P. ramorum is primarily a leaf pathogen and thrives in coastal tanoak/redwood forests and oak woodlands. There are two categories of hosts for P. ramorum. In trunk hosts, the pathogen infects the bark and can cause bark cankers that may ooze a thick, sticky sap. Trunk hosts of the pathogen include many species including tanoak, coast live oak, California black oak, and Shreve's oak.
On leaves, foliar symptoms range from leaf spots to twig dieback. Sudden oak death can be lethal to trees in both forest settings and residential landscapes. Foliar hosts include California bay laurel, rhododendron and camellia.
To learn more about this disease, read Pest Notes: Sudden Oak Death and visit the UCCE Sonoma County Sudden Oak Death website.
Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or pathogens that can cause economic or environmental harm. This year, we will be spotlighting several different invasive species that are established in California to raise awareness and help reduce their spread. Stay tuned—we will be showcasing a different invasive species each day and where you can find more information.
Want to learn more about California Invasive Species Action Week? Check out the full schedule of events on their website.