Pest Management & Plant Health

Did you know that every 60 days, a new and potentially damaging invasive species enters California? California residents can help in the fight against invasive species by learning and participating next week (June 2-10) in the California Invasive Species Action Week.

Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. If you work in agricultural, turf, landscape or structural settings, you are probably at your busiest. If you handle pesticides as part of your work, you most likely wear personal protective equipment (PPE).

It's getting hot and dry in the Central Valley and the movement of equipment in and out of fields/orchards/vineyards has the potential to stir up a significant amount of dust. Among its other impacts to agriculture (soil erosion, tissue damage, reduced photosynthesis, etc...

Nutgrass, also called nutsedge, could easily be one of the top 5 nuisance weeds gardeners deal with in the garden and landscape. While we don't know that for sure, we do know that nutsedge is a very challenging weed to control.

News from the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2018 FIGHT THE BITE First Dead Bird of the Season Tests Positive For West Nile Virus Elk Grove, Ca.

If you are puzzled by curling leaves on plants in your garden or landscape, you may need to do some detective work to figure out the cause. Curling leaves can be caused by many problems, including insect damage, disease, abiotic disorders, or even herbicides.

You've heard such insect-inspired music as Flight of the Bumble Bee, La Cucaracha, Boll Weevil and the The Blue-Tailed Fly, right? But have you ever heard of a song featuring the three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus, and another one spotlighting the male insect organ, the aedeagus?

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a UC Davis doctoral student researching mosquitoes? Meet Olivia Winokur, an enthusiastic, dedicated and multi-talented medical entomologist whose childhood curiosity about a yellow fever vaccination sparked her interest in 'skeeters.

UC Davis doctoral student and mosquito researcher Olivia Winokur remembers the defining moment when she learned that mosquitoes are much more than just annoying. In fact, it was her childhood curiosity about a yellow fever vaccination that sparked her interest in mosquitoes.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County Client's Request: Hello, I have a large (50 feet or more) elm tree in my back yard that is looking very unhealthy.