Urban and Community IPM Capital Corridor

Article

Debunking Pest Myths

May 20, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

When trying to solve a pest or plant problem, it is likely that you will come across a wide variety of solutions online, passed down through the generations, or shared on social media. While there is plenty of reliable and science-based information out there, such as on the UC IPM website, there are also a…

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An adult emerald ash borer beetle on a leaf damaged by its feeding.

Article

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week 2025

May 15, 2025

By Lindsey Hack

Tiny but destructive, the emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive beetle that has killed millions of ash trees across North America. In some cases, infested regions have lost nearly 100% of their ash trees to this pest. Though EAB has not yet been found in California, it was detected on the West Coast for the…

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Clusters of round, reddish-brown eggs scattered across the underside of a leaf.

Article

Time to check for squash bug eggs!

May 12, 2025

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

Squash bugs are a common pest in vegetable gardens, where they can be found on squash, pumpkin, and melon. They can cause leaves to become speckled and turn yellow. Heavy feeding can cause plants to wilt or die, and fruit to rot.These pests remain in the garden during the winter, hiding under dead leaves,…

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Tree-of-heaven growing over a sidewealk in a neighborhood.

Article

Invasive Pest Spotlight: Tree-of-Heaven

May 7, 2025

By Cherie Shook

Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, was originally from China and became a popular landscape shade tree in the 1800’s. However, its rapid growth, aggressive spread, and native habitat disruption have made it a global problem. Reproducing rapidly through dense root suckers and wind dispersal of its “winged”…

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A person holding an inhaler in their hand and clenching their chest.

Article

Cockroaches, Rodents, and Asthma

May 5, 2025

Some indoor pests can just be a nuisance; others can also be a health risk. Did you know that cockroaches and rodents are known to trigger asthma symptoms and lead to the development of allergic asthma for some people? This month, we recognize Asthma Awareness Month and share how you can reduce indoor…

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Article

What’s Wrong with My Plant?

April 30, 2025

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

When you spot a plant in your garden that doesn’t look healthy, how do you figure out what’s wrong with it? Plant problems can be caused by insects, mites, vertebrates, environmental conditions, and diseases, but it can sometimes be hard to tell which is causing the problem. UC IPM's Plant Problem…

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Article

Tools for Removing Dandelions and Other Weeds

April 28, 2025

By Karey Windbiel-Rojas

Dandelions can be an especially troublesome weed in lawns and landscapes. Once they're established, dandelions readily regrow from their deep taproot when only the tops are removed or mowed. Dandelions can regrow if even 1 inch of the taproot remains. The best way to get rid of dandelions is to control them…

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Adult convergent lady beetles congregating on a log.

Article

Releasing Ladybugs in the Garden

April 23, 2025

Lady beetles (known more commonly as ladybugs) are often sold in nurseries and garden centers to control aphids. But will releasing them actually solve your pest problem, and if so, how can you release them correctly? There are about 200 species of lady beetles in California, varying in color, size, and…

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Article

Hantavirus: What to Know

April 21, 2025

By Niamh M Quinn, Roger A Baldwin

Hantavirus has been in the news a lot lately. Betsy Arakawa, wife of the late actor Gene Hackman, recently passed away in New Mexico due to the disease and California has already seen 3 hantavirus-related deaths this year. In this article we share information to help you understand hantavirus and what you…

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Bermuda buttercup infesting a bed of landscaped plants.

Article

Spring is in the Air, and Oxalis is Everywhere

April 17, 2025

By Lindsey Hack

Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…

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A person wearing blue gloves on their hands is unscrewing the cap to a white container

Article

What Should You Wear When Using Pesticides?

April 1, 2025

When using pesticides and other garden chemicals, you should always wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep yourself safe. Pesticides can enter the body via the eyes, skin, nose, or mouth. The skin is the most common way pesticides enter our bodies, usually by splashing, spillage, or spray drift…

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Valley oak tree atop a hill of brown grass.

Article

Webinar: Mediterranean Oak Borer and Other Oak Pests

March 26, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

Join UC IPM for a free webinar on the invasive Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) and other important oak tree pests on April 10, 2025 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that infests several species of white oaks in California: valley oak, blue oak,…

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A person wearing rubber gloves using a spray bottle to spray pesticide on a rose bush outside.

Article

Tips for Using Pesticides Safely

February 24, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

At UC IPM we recognize pesticide safety education every month, but February in particular is National Pesticide Safety Education Month! Below are some simple tips for using pesticides safely to protect yourself, others, wildlife, and the environment.

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Article

National Invasive Species Action Week 2025

February 24, 2025

From February 24 - 28, 2025, help increase public awareness of invasive species and join the fight against invasive species by participating in National Invasive Species Action Week (NISAW).

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Person dumping a white bucket of water outside.

Article

Drain After Rain to Prevent Mosquitoes

February 20, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

Recent rainfall throughout much of California has created puddles and stagnant water. With the temperature warming up in many parts of the state, this combination can create the perfect situation for mosquitoes to breed. We encourage you to drain after the rain to reduce mosquito-breeding sites.

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A dark haired woman holds a pesticide bottle in her hand to read it.

Article

Tree & Shrub Insecticides Limited in New Law

February 11, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

As of January 1, 2025, popular lawn and garden pesticides belonging to the neonicotinoid class, can no longer be used by home gardeners on outdoor fruit trees, lawns, or ornamental plants in California.

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A brown, dying shrub in front of a row of healthy green shrubs.

Article

Wilted plants: lack of water or disease?

February 4, 2025

By Belinda Messenger-Sikes

A well-watered plant that suddenly wilts or unexpectedly drops its leaves could be infected with the soil pathogen Phytophthora. The disease it causes, Phytophthora root and crown rot, can affect many plants, including ornamental trees and shrubs, fruit trees, and vegetables.

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Two rat traps secured to a tree limb using a piece of wood and tape

Article

Your Rat Management Questions Answered!

January 14, 2025

By Lauren Fordyce

UC IPM recently hosted a webinar on rat management presented by Dr. Niamh Quinn. During this webinar attendees were able to ask the expert their burning questions about rats and their management. Below are responses to common questions from the webinar.

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Article

Wrapping Up the Year

December 20, 2024

By Karey Windbiel-Rojas

As the end of 2024 approaches, I'd like to reflect on the UC IPM Urban and Community program's accomplishments and share what's to come from us in 2025.

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Article

Bugs in Your Holiday Cookies!?

December 16, 2024

By Lauren Fordyce

In a recent TikTok video, a woman's holiday baking spree came to a halt when she discovered bugs in her flour. While initially alarmed, the woman was also intrigued.

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Urban IPM in Yolo, Sacramento, and Solano counties

a black and yellow striped fly on a purple flower with a yellow center.

This is the web page of Karey Windbiel-Rojas, Area Urban Integrated Pest Management Advisor for UC Cooperative Extension serving Sacramento, Yolo, and Solano counties.

Current projects are listed in the left side column.

For information on various home, garden, turf, and landscape pests, please visit the UC Statewide IPM Program web site to find specific science-based pest management information.

If you have home or garden pest questions, contact your local UC Master Gardener office by visiting their web site or help line:

Yolo County or call (530) 666-8143
Sacramento County or call (916) 876-5338
Solano County or call (707) 784-1322

You can also find UC Master Gardeners offices in other counties at http://mg.ucanr.edu/FindUs.

Contact information:
(530) 750-1241 (office)
(916) 291-7791 (cell)
kwindbiel@ucanr.edu

Davis office:
2801 Second Street, Davis, CA 95618

Sacramento office:
4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento CA 95827

Interested in some of our UC IPM Urban and Community program statistics? We have been gathering information on our website views, social media engagement, webinar reach, and more. Visit this page for more: https://ucanr.edu/sites/UCIPM_Urban_Stats/Webinars/index.cfm.

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