Just got an email about UC Agriculture and Natural Resources having a book sale (up to 40% off!!) because they are moving to another warehouse. Prices good until 1/31/10.
One of the books on sale is
Take advantage of this rare opportunity to pick up this classic at a great price!
Released in summer 1998, the Natural Enemies Handbook endures as the most comprehensive guide to biological control agents ever made available to practitioners. Helps you identify and understand the biologies of predators, parasites, pathogens, competitors, and antagonists that help control specific insect, pathogen, nematode, or weed pests.
January Web Special: $21.00 - 40% off
See more publications at:
http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/Search/Specials.aspx
Last month Roger Baldwin, Terry Salmon (vertebrate pest experts), and I (expert-in-training) held a meeting in a field in San Diego where the participants learned about gopher biology and control. They then got into action by probing for gopher tunnels and learning how to set and place traps. Roger developed a nice handout that you can view and download at: http://cesandiego.ucdavis.edu/files/74121.pdf.
Bed bugs are not the kind of souvenirs you really want to bring back. Check out your hotel at:
I am not an entomologist - I always make that clear because a lot of people have that expectation when they find out I work in IPM. Granted, I did take a considerable number of entomology classes and I have put in long hours in field work so it's not like I am completely oblivious. But I digress.
While I would rather be showing you is a cool new tool to control weeds, I recently received an email from a person in San Clemente who said there were thousands of red and black insects on twigs and the sidewalk near her home. She sent me a photo and I knew exactly what she had:Lodosiana (=Scantius) aegyptius
This insect is a new one only recently found in North America and by luck I had seen an article about it in the Orange County Register
http://greenoc.freedomblogging.com/2009/08/03/red-bug-makes-first-american-appearance-in-oc/11179/
So far there are no reports of widespread damage due to feeding on plants. They do not hurt humans.
Note the 2 black dots on either side of the body.
Then I happened to read about another similar looking insect recently found called the bagrada bug. See http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/PPD/PDF/Bagrada_hilaris.pdf or http://cisr.ucr.edu/bagrada_bug.html for details. This one has been reported to cause plant damage. 
Photo by Gevork Arakelian, Senior Biologist, Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioner/Weights & Measures Department.
The adults don't look too similar but the nymphs could be confusing.
If you see the spotted one, let pjbryant@uci.edu know. He is looking at the genetics of the insect. If you see the Bagrada bug in counties other than LA, Orange, Imperial, or San Diego, let your local Agricultural Commissioner know.
This summer I have been watching the green fruit beetles dive bomb my own garden. Last month I found one in the soil with just its head in the soil and its rear end sticking up. I knew it was going to (or had) laid some eggs so I dug around and was amazed to find hundreds of grubs of various sizes already developing. 
This is about 1 square foot.
See http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/FRUIT/PESTS/grfruitbeetle.htmlfor more information about the green fruit beetle.
I collected a bunch and put them in a tray with some soil. Watch what happens when I shake the tray and about 7 seconds later.
