News & Information Outreach

This article provides information about the upcoming UCCE Weedy Rice Meeting.

 How do moths differ from butterflies?Scientists at the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis answered question and displayed both moths and butterflies at their recent Moth Night, in observation of National Moth Week, July 19-27. Bohart associates Jeff Smith, curator of the Lepidoptera collection and…

Blog by Patricia MattesonYou’re looking at a sorely overgrown, post-bloom pot of freesias, crowded by three years of self-propagation via cormels that sprout from the main corm or develop at the base of leaves. Once the plants in this pot entered summer dormancy, I set out to dig up the corms for replanting…

 In EnglishA menudo, los bancos de alimentos entregan productos que los recipientes desconocen o nunca han comido y pocas veces tienen la suerte de aprender en el mismo lugar cómo preparar platillos saludables, especialmente con las frutas y vegetales que reciben. Esto sucedió recientemente en el…

For 100 years, Edna 4-H has guided youth through leadership projects, from raising pigs to riding mountain bikes. It's the longest-running 4-H club in San Luis Obispo County. This month, 4-H members of all ages gathered to celebrate the significant milestone.

 Curious minds want to know.How many species of moths did scientists detect in the blacklighting demonstration at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's annual Moth Night, held Saturday, July 12?"We caught a total of 11 moths at the light sheet--five species in five different families," said Bohart Museum…

Blog by Michelle SchlegelSeveral years ago, an unusual succulent called Stapelia grandiflora f. cristata. It is a native of South Africa that thrives well in heat and is quite drought-tolerant. It has no leaves, but instead has fleshy, four-sided stems that grow to form clumps 8-12 inches tall and up to 3…

The California Weed Science Society (CWSS) publishes a twice-yearly "CWSS Research Update and News" newsletter as one of the society's publications.  The July 2025 issue just went online and is available here: https://cwss.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CWSS_Research_Update-July-2025.pdf This issue…

There are many weedy grasses that can invade a lawn or landscaped area, but bermudagrass is one of the most hated and difficult to control weeds. It’s a low-growing, wiry perennial that has above and belowground structures which are both capable of rooting and growing into new plants.  The secret…

  Breaking News: More than 1,218 members of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), including 61 Nobel laureates and 46 recipients of the National Medal of Science, this week signed a letter urging Congress to reject the FY26 science budget cuts that threaten U.S. leadership in science, health, and…

By this time of year the lush growth and colorful flowers of spring are just a memory. Many California native plants go dormant in the summer, waiting for the fall and winter rains before they grow again. Some plants, like California buckeye, are already losing their leaves. But luckily for the native garden…

I am resending this blog which is similar to one sent out a few weeks ago. I am looking at the current and extended weather forecast, and seeing low nighttime temperatures forecast for the last half of July. This is especially the case for the southern part of the Sacramento Valley. The data I am looking at…

Watergrass (Echinochloa spp.) is the most competitive weed complex in California rice production. These plants can emerge under both continuously flooded and flushed conditions, often resulting in significant yield losses—up to 100% in dry- or drill-seeded systems, and about 50% in water-seeded systems, when…

 "My turn to hold the hornworm!"Youth and adults alike clamored to hold the tobacco hornworms at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's Moth Night.While attendees held the hornworms, other hornworms munched on a tomato plant.  A display sign about Metamorphosis in the Garden read:"Tobacco hornworms …

Blog by Paula PashbyA while back, I wrote a blog about Nasturtiums, Tropaeolum, adding a nice splash of color to the garden with their vibrant, orange-colored flowers.  I planted Nasturtiums in one of my raised garden beds and added a tall trellis to provide a nice accent in the vegetable garden. …

 That "passion butterfly," the Gulf Fritillary...Ever watched a Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, touch down on its host plant, the passionflower vine, Passiflora? Ever seen two Gulf Frits sipping nectar from a single passionflower blossom? We remember what UC Davis Distinguished Professor…

As the crop starts advancing towards heading, one concern is blast. So far I have not seen any leaf blast. Blast spores need free moisture on the leaves to germinate and infect. Leaf wetness is a good measure of free moisture. Typically, leaf wetness increases during the evening and stays high until early…