Christmas in May? When it's in full bloom, the aptly named "tower of jewels," Echium wildpretii, which can tower as high as 10 feet, looks very much like a Christmas tree. Think of the brilliant red blossoms as red bells. Native to the island of Tenerife, it belongs to the family Boraginaceae.

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Inside a hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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Veterinarians Registering Now for UC Davis-OSU Honey Bee Health Course

May 13th, 2021

If you're a veterinarian or a veterinary technician in California or Oregon, then you'll want to register for a free online bee biology course aimed at training veterinarians in their new role in supporting beekeepers and maintaining the health of bee colonies.

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This is a screen shot of Lauren Ponisio in a CBS Los Angeles video, "Bee Biologist Can't Stop Buzzing About Her Work." CBS wrote that she "puts science, technology and math to work in her study of bees."

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Bee Biologist Lauren Ponisio: How Pyrodiversity Impacts Pollinator Communities

May 12th, 2021

How does pyrodiversity impact pollinator communities? That's a crucial question, especially with California's history and future of disastrous wildfires. Last year was the state's worst fire season ever: 9,639 fires burned 4.

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Photographer Allan Jones found this cicada in the Ruth Risdon Storer Garden of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden several years ago. It appears to be a Okanagana arboraria, according to Louie Yang of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty. (Photo by Allan Jones)

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Cicadas: The World Awaits the Emergence of Brood X

May 11th, 2021

Scientists say that within several weeks, trillions of cicadas from Brood X will emerge in 15 eastern-central states of our nation, from Georgia to New York.

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A painted lady, Vanessa cardui, flutters away in this prize-winning work of artist Roberto Valdez. He won best of show in the professional fine arts category, oils and acrylics, at the 2021 Dixon May Fair.

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Art Imitating Life or Life Imitating Art?

May 10th, 2021

Does art imitate life or life imitate art? Oscar Wilde opined in his 1889 essay, The Decay of Lying: An Observation, that "Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life." It's up for discussion. Take the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui.

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