Pests in the Urban Landscape

Shot hole borers are tiny insects the size of a sesame seed that don't look particularly harmful, but don't let their diminutive size fool you. Two of these borers are invasivethe polyphagous shot hole borer and the Kuroshio shot hole borer.

When people think of parasites, often what comes to mind are blood-sucking insects like bed bugs, head lice, and fleas or other bodily invaders on or in humans and other animals. But plants can have parasites too.

People in urban and suburban areas often use the term invasive to describe plants or weeds that appear to take over a garden or landscape. However, true invasive plants are weeds that infest ecosystems, rangelands, and pastureplaces common garden weeds don't thrive.

It may surprise you to learn that California is home to invasive wild pigs, also called feral hogs or wild boars. Wild pigs can be a major nuisance for farmers, ranchers, and others who live in more rural areas or near wildlands.

As part of our coverage of California Invasive Species Action Week, today we focus on a pair of invasive species that work together: an insect called the Asian citrus psyllid and the plant disease it can spread, huanglongbing.