Bug Squad

Bumble bee on bull thistle at Bodega Bay
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Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) foraging in Bee Bliss salvia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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A Haven for Bumble Bees

April 14th, 2011
The Hagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven is not only a haven for honey bees; it's a haven for bumble bees and other native pollinators. A yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) buzzed around in the Bee Bliss salvia today, sharing the blossoms with honey bees.
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Ladybugs and soldier beetles--along with their prey, aphids--on a plum tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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The Love Bugs

April 13th, 2011
"You can never be too rich, too young, too blonde or too thin," a quote often attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. Well, you can never have too many ladybugs, aka lady beetles, in your garden. These colorful beetles devour aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
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Beetle display at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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This Bug's for You

April 12th, 2011
So you like bugs... C'mon, just a little bit? If so, you're in luck. The UC Davis Department of Entomology is featuring scores of insects from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 as part of the campuswide Picnic Day.
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Bombus melanopygus heading toward the Pride of Madeira, Echium candicans. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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Bumble Bee at Bodega Bay

April 11th, 2011
It's called the "Pride of Madeira" but don't let that name fool you. True, it's the pride of the Portuguese island of Madeira, where it's endemic, but it's also the joy of Bodega Bay. "What's that purplish spiked flower that grows somewhat like a yucca or a tower of jewels?" visitors ask.
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LADYBUGS converging on a plum tree leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
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Why We Love Ladybugs

April 8th, 2011
There's a good reason why lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are prevalent this time of year: aphids. Ladybugs, from the family Coccinellidae, are actually beetles with voracious appetites for those soft-bodied insects that suck plant juices. Wherever there are aphids, you'll usually see ladybugs.
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