Bug Squad

Bumble bee on bull thistle at Bodega Bay
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A honey bee touches down on a rock purslane, Calandrinia grandiflora. This plant yield red pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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A Touch of Red on Earth Day

April 22nd, 2021
It's Earth Day, an event we celebrate every April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protections on our troubled planet. This year's theme: "Restore Our Earth." U.S. Sen.
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A soldier beetle (family Cantharida) looks out over a milkweed in search of more aphids. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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The Red Coats Are Coming

April 21st, 2021
The Red Coats are coming. The Red Coats are coming. No, not an army of soldiers. Soldier beetles. These insects (family Cantharida) resemble the uniforms of the British soldiers of the American Revolution, which is apparently how their name originated.
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Entomologist Jeff Smith, curator of the Lepidoptera collection at the Bohart Museum of Entomology laments the declining population of monarchs and advocates that people plant milkweed and nectar sources in their gardens. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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Jeff Smith Zooms in on 'Mimicry in Butterflies and Moths'

April 20th, 2021
Butterflies and moths totally fascinate entomologist Jeff Smith, the 32-year volunteer curator of the Bohart Museum of Entomology's Lepidoptera collection. Smith loves talking about them, engaging folks face-to-face, and answering their questions.
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