Gardening

Sooty mold is a black fungal growth that looks like a layer of soot covering the leaves of a plant or a sidewalk. The aptly named disease is common in gardens and landscapes, appearing wherever a large infestation of plant-sucking insects are found.

Most of us have experienced itchy skin from a biting insect at least once in our lives. Insects and spiders such as mosquitoes, ticks, mites, bed bugs, fleas, and head lice can and do bite people.

While you are home working, learning, or relaxing, you may have noticed a few other critters sharing space with you.

American pokeweed is a large weedy shrub also known as pokeberry, American nightshade, poke salad, and a variety of other names. It is native to the eastern U.S. but is spreading in parts of California.

Beneficial insects can provide a lot of support in the garden. Natural enemies, which include predators, parasites, and pathogens, reduce pest populations and can help prevent damage to plants.

Pest Notes are UC IPM publications written for people who want information about pests in homes, office buildings, schools, gardens, urban landscapes, and more. We have more than 170 peer-reviewed Pest Notes on topics ranging from ants to the Zoropsis spider, all available on our website.

The white garden snail (Theba pisana), sometimes known as the Italian white snail, can be a serious pest of landscape ornamentals, including trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and herbaceous plants (Figure 1).

The spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) is a new exotic pest that was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has since moved to other nearby states (Figure 1).

Like outdoor plants, houseplants can also experience pest problems. Did you know that too much or too little watering is the most common way that houseplants die? They can also suffer from too much or too little light, incorrect fertilization, and a variety of pests and diseases.

The Pests in the Urban Landscape blog shares pest information for residents, retailers, landscape professionals, structural pest control professionals, and more.