Pests

Many of us at UC IPM are cat lovers and owners. Cats are popular household pets that bring joy and companionship to many families. Feral cats, on the other hand, can cause problems in our communities and around our homes and gardens. Feral cats are unsocialized, unowned cats that live outdoors.

Voles are small, mouselike rodents that can be pests in gardens and landscapes. They damage many types of plants with their gnawing, from vegetables to turf to trees. Voles can gnaw completely around the trunk or roots of trees, causing girdling, which can kill trees.

As you may know, Groundhog Day is observed on February 2nd to predict if there will be an early spring or if six more weeks of winter are in order. Groundhogs are large, ground-dwelling rodents found mainly on the East Coast that can cause severe damage to landscapes, gardens, and structures.

With many people thinking about turkey this time of year, we thought we would provide some interesting facts about wild turkeys for you to share during your holiday gatherings! Turkeys are not native to California but were introduced by European settlers.

You may not think about rodents such as rats, mice, or gophers until they become a pest around your home. Because rodents can be major pests in and around homes, gardens, landscapes, restaurants, and other buildings, each year pest control experts celebrate Rodent Awareness Week.

Many people think wild rabbits hopping around are adorablethere's even an international rabbit day celebrating wild and domestic rabbitsbut they're less welcome when they're eating your carefully tended garden. Wild rabbits in California can devour your garden vegetables, just like Peter Cottontail.

Where is rodenticide exposure in wildlife coming from? Is it from use by residents or farmers? Applications by marijuana growers? Or from applications by qualified and trained structural pest control professionals?

If you are battling with ground squirrels or tree squirrels around your home or property, join us on Thursday, May 19 at noon for UC IPM's one-hour seminar on Squirrels! Dr.

Woodpeckers are well known, colorful birds often found in wooded neighborhoods and forested areas.

Summer is upon us so what does that mean for California ground squirrel management? As a practitioner of IPM, you are likely aware that effective ground squirrel management requires an integrated approach, including knowledge of pest biology.