Pest Management & Plant Health

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.

San Luis Obispo County has seen more than 20 detections of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) since January 2018, according to Citrus Insider. The majority of these invasive insects have been found in the backyards of residential properties in the city of Nipomo.

With warming weather come contemplations of bagrada bug. This is the time in the past when we start to find bagrada bug populations on flourishing shortpod mustard plants or patches of pepperweed in the Salinas Valley.

City Visions: Tech and the future of smart, sustainable farming (KALW), May 7, 2018 Host Ethan Elkind and guests explore the impact of new technologies on our agricultural industry.

How do plants defend themselves from herbivores and turn on their defenses?

Stone fruit trees like apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, and prune are a staple of many backyard gardens and landscapes. Unfortunately, there are a variety of pests that can weaken trees and spoil fruit.