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Bed Bug Monitors Enable Early Detection
Bed bugs are quickly becoming major household nuisance pests. California has recently experienced a multitude of bed bug reports, with San Francisco now considered one of the Top 10 most infested cities in the country. Bed bug detection can be very difficult and almost always requires special training since bugs prefer to hide in dark, inaccessible cracks and crevices near their hosts’ resting spots. An experienced pest management professional can examine all possible harborages in a home, searching for the bugs themselves and signs of infestation such as the characteristic black fecal spotting and cast nymphal skins, although low-density infestations may escape detection.
Thankfully, several monitors are available that attract or intercept bed bugs. Bed bug monitors fall within one of two categories: active monitors and passive monitors. Active monitors employ attractants—heat, carbon dioxide, host odors (kairomones), pheromones, or a combination of these—to lure bed bugs out of their hiding areas and into a pitfall or sticky trap within the monitor. These devices have the potential to detect bed bugs in the absence of a host (vacant room). Passive monitors either exploit a bed bug’s affinity for dark crevices or rely on chance encounters with pitfalls or sticky traps. Interceptor monitors are pitfall devices that rely on the presence of a host (a sleeping human) to attract hungry bugs and trap them en route to their meal.
A team of UC researchers led by UC Berkeley entomologist Vernard Lewis recently evaluated a series of five bed bug monitors. Overall the study concluded that active monitors recovered a steady proportion of bed bugs as densities increased and that all monitors tested were able to detect bed bugs at low densities.
Read more in the February 2013 issue of the UC IPM Green Bulletin. More information on bed bug biology and management is available in the just revised Pest Note: Bed Bugs on the UC IPM web site.
UC IPM Releases Management Guidelines for Goldenspotted Oak Borer
First identified in California in 2004, the goldspotted oak borer (GSOB), Agrilus auroguttatus, has killed more than 24,000 oak trees in San Diego County since its arrival, probably in the late 1990s. In 2012, it was detected in Riverside County and it is expected to spread northward in the state.
The most seriously damaged oaks are those in the red oak group including coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, and black oak, Q. kelloggi. It also infests canyon live oak, Q. chrysolepis but has not been found to kill the other native oak species in the area, the Englemann oak, Q. englemanni. So far losses have been most serious in parks and forested areas, but landscape trees are also being killed.
A new Pest Note from the UC IPM program outlines management guidelines for this serious pest. Flatheaded borers such as GSOB are difficult to manage and seriously infested trees cannot be saved. The primary way GSOB spreads into new areas is through the movement of infested wood and the authors recommend leaving infested wood on site for 2 years. If wood is to be moved, the Pest Note provides guidelines for treating it through containment, grinding, and debarking. Guidelines for replanting infested areas, less susceptible oak species, biological control, insecticide applications and developing GSOB management plans are also described.
Many other borers attack oaks but do not kill trees. GSOB infested trees can be distinguished by the characteristic D-shaped emergence holes it leaves behind. A special feature of the Pest Note is a table illustrating the emergence holes of borer species on southern California oaks. Many photos are also included.
The information in this Pest Note: Goldspotted Oak Borer is based primarily on research studies by the authors: Mary Louise Flint (UCIPM and Entomology/UC Davis), Tom Coleman and Steve Seybold (USDA/US Forest Service), and Mike Jones (Entomology/UC Davis). Find it at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74163.html
Advanced Citrus and Avocado Trainings with Special Focus on Invasive Pest ACP
Cost of the workshop is $20 and include materials and lunch. Event runs from 8:30am-4:00pm and is open to the public so bring your spouse or friends! Click on the links below to register or view more information.
View Registration Homepage for more information and mail-in registration information.
Register Online for:
Los Angeles Area May 17, 2013 10am-4pm
Riverside May 18, 2013 10am-4pm
Let's start talking about Citrus Greening!
Citrus Greening Disease has been moving through California. We are reaching out to California gardeners and UC Master Gardeners in an effort to slow the spread.
How can you learn more or help?
- Watch the California Garden Web for posts related to Asian Citrus Psyllid and Citrus Greening caused by the bacteria known as Huanglongbing.
- Help us spread the word by following us on Twitter at @ACPoutreach.
- Attend a talk on Citrus Greening near you! We'll post events here.
- Learn more at http://www.californiacitrusthreat.org/.
Volunteer Leadership Summit- November 9th
The Volunteer Leadership Summit is the first ever leadership training designed for California Master Gardener volunteers. At this free one-day workshop participants will hear from a range of speakers and be challenged to engage in the larger Master Gardener community by networking with their peers from across the state. The workshop will be held November 9, 2012 at the UC Davis Campus.
The idea for this conference was actually introduced by a volunteer earlier this year. She had noticed that other volunteer organizations have trainings and conferences specifically towards making better leaders out of their volunteers and requested that the Statewide Master Gardener Program do the same. We quickly recognized what a powerful tool this could be and set to work creating a program. At the workshop, participants will hear from Associate Director of UC Cooperative Extension, Bill Frost; discuss the importance and process of building community within their programs from Ellie Rilla, and hear from select volunteers from diverse programs throughout the state during our panel talk. Participants will also explore ideas for program and board structure, meeting facilitation, and the nitty gritty on financial policies. Breakfast refreshments and lunch will be provided.
Unfortunately, to stay within fire code and to make the workshop as interactive and meaningful to participants as possible each program may select one volunteer to attend. For more information and access to registration please contact your local coordinator.
UPDATE: Thanks for those who commented, to remind me to say that we will be recording the day's session for those who are unable to make it and would like to see it later! It will not be a live webinar because the logistics of audience participation and such via Adobe Connect and teleconference would be nearly imposible, however the DVD of the taped session will be available to all counties.
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