Pests in the Urban Landscape

While we continue to spend more time than usual indoors, you may have noticed a few unexpected (and perhaps unwanted) co-occupants like ants, cockroaches, or mice.

Insecticide foggers, also known as total release foggers or bug bombs (Figure 1), are popular products widely available in many retail nurseries and garden centers as well as drug stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores.

Human lice (singular louse) are parasitic insects found on people. Adult lice are small (about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long or less) wingless insects that move by crawling. There are three species of lice that exclusively feed on humans: the head louse, the body louse, and the crab or pubic louse.

Most pest management professionals have served clients who swore they were being bitten by unseen pests. Perhaps the usual suspects (bed bugs, fleas, and mosquitoes) were ruled out by thorough inspection and monitoring devices.

We are fortunate in California that not only can we grow vegetables in summer, but winter gardening is also an opportunity to grow vegetables and spend some time outdoors. Cool-season vegetables include broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, and spinach.