Test PB Collection: FTE

We just met a male black-faced bumble bee, Bombus californicus. It was early morning and he was resting on a blanket flower (Gaillardia), a brilliant member of the sunflower family. When you're a bee, a blanket flower offers both bed and breakfast. Gaillardia was named after M.

Researchers have now confirmed that six glyphosate-resistant weed species have been identified in California. Four have been known to exist for some time; they are horseweed (marestail, Conyza sp.), hairy fleabane, rigid ryegrass and annual ryegrass.

From two friends in the space of a week! While I was away, this tool made the rounds: http://sf.terrapattern.com/: This is the alpha version of Terrapattern, a visual search tool for satellite imagery.

The honey bee struggled, but couldn't free herself from a broadleaf milkweed blossom in our pollinator garden. Had a predator nailed her? Or was the bee dying of natural causes? What was happening? Two hours later we returned. The bee, now in a frenzy, was still stuck.

If you grow milkweed in your yard, you probably have some very special tenants, monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). As just about every kindergarten student knows, milkweed (Asclepias spp,) is their larval host plant. Without milkweed, no monarchs.

Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 10:00 AM T & D Willey Farms, Madera, CA The fourth in our series of five farm visits that are part of the California Farm Demonstration Network will be taking place this Wednesday, June 15th, beginning at 10:00 AM and winding up at about 11:45 AM at the farm of Tom and Den...

The Irrigation Training & Research Center (ITRC) of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo tested 28 different pressure-compensating models of microirrigation emitting devices from a total of nine manufacturers in order to compare independent laboratory testing with manufacturer specifications.

On January 12, 2016 the Federal EPA label for Kerb SC was reinstated for leaf lettuce. The registration on leaf lettuce was pulled in 2009 and Dow AgroSciences worked in the intervening years reregister Kerb. The new label allows for the use of Kerb from 25 to 55 day prior to harvest (Table 1).

Who doesn't love the red flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata? If the Fourth of July had its own insect, it would be the firecracker red flameskimmer. It's so showy and eye-popping red that it almost looks patriotic.

Earlier this week, I received reports of two fields near Willows that showed evidence of armyworm feeding and very small worms in the plants. Today, I sampled a field that had some severe armyworm affected areas last year. At first sight, there was no evidence of injury.