Pest Management & Plant Health

Irish novelist Margaret Wolfe Hungerford was right. In Molly Bawn, published in 1878, Hungerford wrote "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," meaning that our perception of beauty is subjective. Beauty is also in the eye of the bee-holder, that is, a predator that "holds" bees.

When you see spiders in your garden, you may wonder if they can hurt you or your pets. The good news is, most spiders are not likely to bite or cause lasting harm if they do.

[Article modified on April 13, 2019 to correct inaccuracies.] New label changes will alter how fipronil is applied by pest management professionals (PMPs) in urban environments, particularly between November and February, during California's typical rainy season.

UC Davis entomology professor Diane Ullman is off to France in November but it's not a dream vacation. It's a dream opportunity: a Fulbright-funded scholarship to research plant virus-insect interactions. She will be studying plant viruses and the insects that transmit them.

If you missed hearing The Entomology Band performing in front of Briggs Hall during the recent UC Davis Picnic Day, not to worry. They're featured in a recent Entomology Today blog, published by the Entomological Society of America (and written by yours truly) and headlined "Bugs and Beat.

The recent California Agriculture magazine (April-June 2018 issue) has a couple of interesting articles: by Elizabeth Mosqueda, California State University; Richard Smith, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties; Dave Goorahoo, California State University; and Anil Shrestha, California State Un...

A drive around parts of the San Joaquin Valley revealed some fields with Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) rising above the crop canopy (See image below).

A drive around the San Joaquin Valley has revealed some fields with Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) rising above the crop canopy.

We have been scouting for Bagrada bug on wild host plants at two sites in the San Ardo area since middle of May. We selected San Ardo as our most southern scouting point for the Salinas Valley.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County Client' Request: Hi! What bug (or other cause) is responsible for my Bright Lights Swiss chard leaves to look dry and brown? (See pictures below) What can I do to fix this?