OC Register turns to UC for information on bugs

According to the Orange County Register, the turning of seasons this week is ending a local "summer of bugs." Today's article says that homeowners, landscape designers, nurserymen are reporting unusually high numbers of flies, mosquitos, thrips and glassy-winged sharpshooters.

“There are flies everywhere,” the paper quotes Cherie Ciotti-Roco, a landscape designer and contractor. “I’ve been out here 20 years, and I’ve never seen flies like this.”

For expert opinion, the Register turned to John Kabashima, the director of UC Cooperative Extension in Orange County.

“When the fall flush hits, all the insects attack,” Kabashima is quoted. “They just go crazy. They’ve been building up since spring, and the population can explode, and each insect can lay potentially hundreds of eggs.”

Kabashima pointed out that eugenia psyllid and citrus leaf miner are expected to become pervasive, according to the paper.

“We just came out with a pest note (for homeowners) on that one,” the article quotes Kabashima.

Unfortunately, the link to the pest note was not included in the article, but I will include it here.

Damage caused by citrus leafminer.

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