Pest Management & Plant Health

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Photo 1. FarmWise Titan autonomous tractor equipped with split knives; it currently does not operate fully autonomously due to Cal OSHA regulations.

Automated Weeders: Optimizing their value

May 17, 2021
By Richard F Smith
Richard Smith is the UC Cooperative Extension Vegetable Crop Production and Weed Science Farm Advisor in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. Automated weeders remove weeds inside the three- to five-inch-wide uncultivated band left around the seedline by standard cultivation.
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Speckled carpet beetle on a white flower. (photo by Dong Hwan-Choe)
The Stanislaus Sprout: Article

Carpet Beetle: Is This a Pest?

May 17, 2021
By Anne E Schellman
While you are outside gardening or inside doing your spring cleaning, you may have recently found small, round, speckled beetles you've never seen before.
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Extension apiculturist Elina Lastro Niño teaching a course at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Entomology & Nematology News: Article

Free Online Training Course for Veterinarians on Honey Bee Health

May 13, 2021
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Honey bee experts at UC Davis and Oregon State University (OSU) will teach a free online bee biology course aimed at training veterinarians in their new role in supporting beekeepers and maintaining the health of bee colonies.
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Inside a hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bug Squad: Article

Veterinarians Registering Now for UC Davis-OSU Honey Bee Health Course

May 13, 2021
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
If you're a veterinarian or a veterinary technician in California or Oregon, then you'll want to register for a free online bee biology course aimed at training veterinarians in their new role in supporting beekeepers and maintaining the health of bee colonies.
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Household ingredients sometimes used in online pest control remedies including soaps, herbs, vinegar, and spices.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

The Dangers of Homemade Pest Control Remedies

May 10, 2021
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes, Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Instructions for making homemade mixtures to control pests are easy to find online and in social media, and it's tempting to make your own home remedy when pests invade.
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A red and white checkered tablecloth with plates of tomatoes laid out for tasting. (T. Celio)
The Stanislaus Sprout: Article

Tips for Terrific Tomatoes Video Posted!

May 10, 2021
By Anne E Schellman
Our Tips for Terrific Tomatoes class is now available to watch on our UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener YouTube Channel. Master Gardeners Terry Harper and Heidi Aufdermaur delivered some great tips for growing successful tomato plants.
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Close up image of a black adult fungus gnat on a leaf.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Seasonal Insect Pests in the Home

May 6, 2021
As the weather warms up, we see more insect activity in gardens and landscapes, and you may also notice more activity of insect pests in your home. Common insect pests found indoors in springtime can include carpet beetles, fleas, fungus gnats, and boxelder bugs.
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A honey bee and a lygus bug sharing a batchelor button in the UC Davis Ecological Garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bug Squad: Article

The Bee and the Lygus Bug

April 29, 2021
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Ever seen a beneficial insect and a pest sharing the same blossom? At a recent visit to the UC Davis Ecological Garden at the Student Farm, we watched a honey bee, Apis mellifera, and a lygus bug nymph, Lygus hesperus, foraging on a batchelor button, Centaurea cyanus. The bee: the beneficial insect.
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