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UC Master Gardeners of San Diego County

2023 Insect Master Class Resources

Session 1 - Introduction and Ecology

Homework: 

The Collapse of Insects

Some Animals are More Equal than Others

The Effects of Fungicides

Recording: Click Here    | Passcode: yZY5wZ=d

Session 2 - Biology and Identification

Recording: Click here to watch
Passcode: RSAQrU5#

Homework:

Diapause of Insects (article)

Why we all need to learn to love insects, TedTalk

Smithsonian Institute video on insect adaptations

Learn about some characteristics of 5 out of the 6 orders we'll examine in ID. 

Dr. Denise DeBusk, Professor of Horticulture at Valencia College, presents several insect orders that are important Horticulturally.

Another resource for ID to skim:

Cranshaw Diagnosing with the Left-Behinds, by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University

Session 3 - IPM and Insect FUN

Recording: Click here to watch

Passcode: 0t+J64bj 

Companion Planting blog (UC) 

Companion Planting Guide

Reference List of IPM Insect Master Class

UC IPM Seasonal Landscape Checklist

Go HERE for San Diego/Southern California Region

This monthly guide will help landscape professionals, gardeners, and others use integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid and manage common pests of landscape trees, shrubs, and vines.

Insect Keys

Identify Insect (to Order - UC ANR)

Identify Insect (to Order - written key, UFL)

Identify Insect (to Order with Pictures - COS MG)

 

Field Study Guidance notes: Identifying Insects under the microscope (PDF)

How to Report Invasive Species

CDFA Hotline: 1-800-200-1899

San Diego County Department of Agriculture Lab: 1-800-200-2337

Steps:

- Capture insect: do your best to capture unharmed, place in a double bagged Ziploc or other secure container, do not add water to any bag or sample, write date/host plant/location collected on the sample.

- Attempt identification

- Phone a friend: submit a ticket to the hotline with a picture attachment, call an MG you know, send a picture to Leah or Eric. 

The County Department of Agriculture no longer provides insect identification as a service to the public, but is the local authority to act on invasive insects and will accept samples of suspected invasive species when necessary. 

Invasive Species - A Challenge of California (12 minute video)

Invasive Species of California, a list