Q: Can I buy bait from the County Ag Commissioner’s Office to use at my home?  
A: Bait sold by the San Luis Obispo County Ag. Office can only be sold to those individuals producing and selling an agricultural commodity. However, home-use products are available at your local home centers and agricultural supply centers.
 
 
Q: Do I need to report the use of either the Chlorophacinone or Diphacinone bait that I buy from the SLOCAC?  
A: Yes. You must report the use on your monthly summary use report due by the 10 th of the month following the use.
 
 
Q: What type of bait does the SLOCAC sell?  
A: The SLOCAC sells two anticoagulant oat groat baits. The first is Diphacinone 0.005%. Diphacinone is only labeled for use in bait stations. The second is Chlorophacinone 0.01%. Chlorophacinone is labeled as a scatter or broadcast bait.
 
 
Q: Is it possible for my pets or livestock to be harmed by this bait?  
A: Yes. It is important to exclude all non-target species from areas where these baits are being used. It is important to note that in order for these baits to work effectively, feeding must take place over a 4-5 day period. Larger animals will have to eat more of the bait to be effected, but the bait will harm them if enough is consumed 
 
Q: When is the best time to bait for squirrels?  
A: Baiting can be effective anytime squirrels are active and will accept the bait as a source of food. Baiting becomes less effective when there are alternate sources of natural foods for the squirrels to eat.
 
 
Q: Is yellow starthistle toxic to horses?  
A: Yes. When ingested by horses, yellow starthistle causes a neurological disorder of the brain called nigropallidal encephalomalacia or "chewing disease". Continued feeding results in brain lesions and mycosal ulcers in the mouth may form if the horses continue to feed on the plant.
 
 
Q: I have a weed taking over my yard, pasture, or rangeland and I don’t know what it is. Can you help me identify it?  
A: Yes. There are a couple of different ways to get your problem weed identified. If you have access to a digital camera, you can take a photograph of the unknown plant and email it to us. If the weed is common enough, there is a good chance that we can identify it from a picture alone.In certain cases, we will need a specimen in order to accurately identify the plant. You can bring a sample into our San Luis Obispo office for identification. When bringing in a specimen for identification try and collect any flowers or flowering parts available, as that is often necessary to make a correct determination. Also, when bringing in a weed specimen for identification, be sure to keep the plant in a bag or other enclosed container in order to avoid spreading seeds while on your way into our office.
 
 
Q: I have a weed taking over my yard, pasture, or rangeland. Can you help me control it?  
A: We can provide information and advice on the most effective methods for controlling a particular weed species. However, we simply do not have the personnel available to commonly conduct weed control efforts on private property. Occasionally, we get involved in weed control projects that occur on private property, but those are limited situations reserved for our highest priority programs. For example, we are involved in eradicating foxtail restharrow, Ononis alopecuroides, from a private pasture located in southern San Luis Obispo County. Foxtail restharrow is a recently discovered weed from southern Europe that has not been found any place else in North America, and we have developed a program to eradicate the plant before it spreads into additional, neighboring areas.
 
 
Q: I have yellow starthistle infesting my property. How do I get rid of it?  
A: There is a wealth of information available on how to control yellow starthistle. Before beginning control measures on your own property, here are a few important factors to consider. *Yellow starthistle is an annual plant. All of your control efforts should be geared toward preventing seed production, since the plants themselves are going to die-off around July or August anyway. In order to effectively control yellow starthistle (and prevent seed production), you must begin well before the plant is flowering. Plan ahead!!!! *Successful control takes several consecutive years of preventing seed production. Yellow starthistle seeds are viable for three to five years in the soil, although most of the seeds typically germinate in the first two years. Before you begin a control program, be certain that you are capable of controlling the plant for consecutive seasons. If you skip a year and allow yellowstar plants to survive and produce seed, the soil seed bank will be replenished and you will be back at square one. *For your best chance of success, increase the competition by planting more desirable plants. Yellow starthistle thrives in disturbed areas with bare ground and little competition. If you have a lot of bare ground, expect yellow starthistle and other weedy plants to be a continuing problem. However, yellow starthistle plants require a lot of light, and if you can increase competition by planting grasses and other desirable plants you greatly increase your likelihood of success. For additional information on yellow starthistle control measures, you can contact our office or visit the following websites: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7402.html

http://wric.ucdavis.edu/yst/index.html
 
 
Q: I have yellow starthistle infesting my property. Do you have any programs that would help me pay for controlling it?  
A: As mentioned above, we can help provide information and advice on the most effective control measures available. Unfortunately, we do not have any funds available for assisting private landowners in their control efforts at this time. In the past, we have secured several grants that allowed us to conduct cost-share programs with private landowners, but the funding for those programs have run out and do not appear to be getting renewed in the near future.
 
 
Q: I am controlling the weeds on my property, but my neighbor isn’t doing anything. Seeds are blowing in from the neighbor’s property and making my job more difficult. Is there any way you can force my neighbor to control the weeds on his side of the fence?  
A: There is no California law or local ordinance requiring a landowner to control specific noxious weeds on their property. The weed abatement notices that most people recognize are designed for fire safety and health concerns; they are not issued by our office and are not related to specific weed pests. We can provide information that may assist in educating your neighbors about the problems caused by certain weeds, but we cannot legally require them to control them on their own property.
 
 
Q: What do I do if I have ants or other pests in my house?

A: Please refer to the Alternative Pest Control Section of this website. For additional information on pest control visit the following web site: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/menu.homegarden.html