Ongoing research

Strawberry field with spider mite infestation. Plants in the lower part of the photo are stunted due to twospotted spider mite damage (Photo by Surendra Dara) Multiple species of spider mites infest strawberries in California.

From the UC Cooperative Extension Monterey County Crop Notes newsletter (March/April 2014) Excellent weed control is essential for economically producing cilantro and parsley. Both crops have had various weed control challenges over the last few years.

We've been getting reports of coast live oak decline along the coast, well, here's one of the causes: RIVERSIDE, Calif. A fungus associated with the western oak bark beetle is causing a decline in coast live oak trees in Southern California by spreading foamy bark canker disease.

Whenever you look at the Matilija poppy, you think of a fried egg. White, crepelike flowers (the egg whites) circle a cluster of gold stamens (the yolk).

We had a pretty mild winter, in spite of the freeze damage that occurred in the Central Valley. Now we are seeing what happens when there's not enough chilling to break bud. There is erratic flowering and leaf out. This can be quite pronounced in such trees as peach and apricots, apples and pears.

What a perfect match when a Gulf Fritillary butterfly touches down on a blanket flower. They're both reddish-orange and showy. Last weekend we spotted a Gulf Fritillary butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) land momentarily on a blanket flower (Gaillardia), in our bee garden.

Despite some not-very-flattering-but-taken-with-really-rad-tintype-photography pictures of us all, this is an interesting article that focuses on our public participation in the SNAMP project. Check it out! http://cnr.berkeley.

Did you count pollinators on Thursday, May 8? That was "Be a Scientist Day," sponsored by the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources' Day of Science and Service to commemorate 100 years of Cooperative Extension.

Two years ago we set out to study the impact of native bees on avocado fruit set. We applied for several grants unsuccessfully and turned to growers to see if there was interest. We raised $6,000 to start the project and have established 4 sites in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

There are bugs galore at the Dixon May Fair, which opened today (Thursday, May 8) and continues through Sunday, May 11. The UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology is showcasing insects in the Floriculture Building, where displays include a bee observation hive from the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr.