Pest Management & Plant Health

For years, I thought I was seeing fountain grass, an invasive grass that is found in all kinds of wild and disturbed settings.

This year brings several new chemical tools to California rice. With many herbicide-resistant species as well as emerging problematic weed species, the new chemistries are a welcome tool for managing resistance and preventing the selection of resistant biotypes.

From the eOrganic and Performance and Economics of Electric Weed Control in Organic Perennial Crops Project: (Click HERE to see the presentations) Electric Weed Control in Orchards Tong Zhen, Ph.D.

Wait! Don't head over to the Bohart Museum of Entomology in the Academic Surge Building on Crocker Lane on Saturday, April 20 during the 110th annual UC Davis Picnic Day. Why? It will be closed.

While preparing your garden for planting this spring, you may have found white grubs in the soil. Discovering these fairly large, white grubs can be alarming, but they usually won't cause significant plant damage.

Dandelions are pretty, but weeds nationwide cost homeowners, farmers, ranchers and land managers tens of billions of dollars each year in control measures and lost production. They also endanger fragile ecosystems and can increase threats of erosion and wildfire.

Remember when San Francisco 49'ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk credited his spectacular 51-yard catch in the 2024 NFC championship game with the Detroit Lions to a ladybug (note that entomologists correctly call it a "lady beetle") landing on his shoe before the game?

**** Students, it is the time of year to apply for the CWSS Student Scholarship! Awards will be given to both graduate and undergraduate students ranging from $1,000-2,000. Any students interested in Weed Science should apply! Click here to submit an application and for further instruction.

I can name that flying insect in 3 clues how about you? Match the clue to the insect's image. Place an X in the appropriate column. Resources: UC IPM, Syrphids (Flower Flies or Hover Flies) https://ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/syrphids/ University of Florida, European honey bee https://entnemdept.

"A lot of students take a gap year between their undergrad and grad program," says honey bee scientist Zac Lamas, a National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) postdoctoral fellow with the U. S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Services (USDA-ARS). "I took a gap decade.