Bug Blog
Clear the Calendar for the 2016 Pollinator Conference!
It's never too early to think about the pollinators. We're glad to see that the Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State University will host the third International Conference on Pollinator...
A yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on a tower of jewels, Echium wildpretii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Pollination ecologist Neal Williams, associate professor of entomology at UC Davis, is one of the conference organizers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Karate Kick!
Boys will be boys! Especially on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). It's a favorite of Melissodes and Svastra sunflower bees. The males get downright defensive and aggressive when...
Two sunflower bees battle it out: a male Svastra (larger bee) delivers a quick kick to a smaller male Melissodes. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The male Melissodes (right) goes sprawling after a swift kick by a male Svastra. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Meet Your (Mead) Maker
There's a "me" in mead. And now you have a chance not only to meet your (mead) maker but learn how to make a small batch of mead. The UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center wants you to know...
Mead makers have the honey bee to thank for the key ingredient: honey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Snuggle Bugs
Just call them "snuggle bugs." Or "snuggle bees." After spending the day chasing the girls and defending their patch of Mexican sunflowers or Tithonia, a cluster of Melissodes...
Male sunflower bees, Melissodes robustior, as identified by Robbin Thorp, distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis, slumber away on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Hurray for the Red, White and Blue!
Hurray for the red, white and blue! One more day until we celebrate the birth of our country, Independence Day, and the patriotic colors will be out in force. Insects, also, can be red, white and...
"Red" is for the red flameskimmer, Libellula saturata. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey).
"White" is for the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. It's a pest, but its colors are appropriate on Independence Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
"Blue" is for Acmon Blue (Plebejus acmon) butterfly. It's as blue as the starry background on the American flag. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)