Pest Management & Plant Health

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A crabronid wasp or beewolf foraging on a pineapple sea lily (Eryngium horridum) at the Morningsun Herb Farm, Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bug Squad: Article

Why Beauty Is in the Eye of the Bee-Holder

July 9, 2018
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
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.
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Adult flower or crab spider. (Credit: Jack Kelly Clark)
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Summer Spider Sightings

July 8, 2018
By Anne E Schellman
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.
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A pest management professional making a liquid application of fipronil. (Credit: Les Greenberg, UC Riverside)
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Fipronil Labels Have New Restrictions

July 6, 2018
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes, Karey Windbiel-Rojas
[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.
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Yao-“Fruit-Fly”-Cai has been playing drums since age 17. (Photos by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bug Squad: Article

Bugs and Beat: Talented UC Davis Graduate Students Form Insect-Themed Band

July 3, 2018
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
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.
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California Agriculture magazine cover
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

Automated lettuce thinners and next generation mechanization

July 1, 2018
By Gale Perez
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...
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Figure 1. Bagrada bugs mating on shortpod mustard
Salinas Valley Agriculture: Article

Bagrada bug update

June 25, 2018
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.
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HOrT COCO-UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa: Article

Leaf Miners Attacking Veggies

June 25, 2018
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?
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