Pests in the Urban Landscape

Urban neighborhood and park.

The Pests in the Urban Landscape blog shares the latest sustainable pest management news and information from the UC IPM Urban & Community Program. 

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Buy it where you burn it!
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Don’t Move Firewood!

July 1st, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
What you do with firewood this upcoming 4th of July (and year-round!) can impact more than just the s'mores on your campfire. If you move firewood around the state, you could spread deadly plant diseases and invasive insects. Don't take firewood with you if you travel or camp this holiday weekend.
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A small green plant with long, narrow leaves in a bed of brown wood bark mulch.
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Nutsedge—Yes, We Hate It Too!

June 26th, 2024
By Belinda Messenger-Sikes
Nutsedges are aggressive and persistent weeds that commonly infest lawns, vegetable and flower gardens, and landscapes. These perennial sedges are a problem in lawns because they grow faster than turfgrasses and result in non-uniform turf.
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A freshly made bed with white sheets and striped pillows.
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Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite This Summer!

June 24th, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
As vacation season begins, people will be traveling much more in the coming months. Whether you'll be staying at a hotel, hostel, motel, rental home, or summer camp, you should always be on the lookout for bed bugs.
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A grey brown rat on the ground with its hands by its mouth feeding on something.
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Updated Rat Management Resources

June 18th, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Rats can contaminate our food, damage structures, and spread diseases. To help residents and urban pest professionals safely and effectively manage rats, UC IPM has updated the Pest Notes: Rats publication.
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A light brown grasshopper sitting in the middle of a bright yellow flower.
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Grasshopper Mania!

June 12th, 2024
By Lauren Fordyce
Are grasshoppers taking over your garden? Within the last week, we've received several reports of large populations of these pests covering people's plants, especially in Northern California. Grasshoppers are a sporadic garden pest.
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