Bug Squad

Bumble bee on bull thistle at Bodega Bay
Primary Image
MEDFLY--Border patrol agents suspect that travelers to Hawaii may be bringing back mangoes infested with the larvae of a Mediterranean fruit fly. The Medfly can infest more than 260 types of fruits and vegetables, causing severe impacts on California agricultural exports and backyard gardens, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The CDFA announced Dec. 2 that it has established a 107 square-mile quarantine zone in the El Cajon area of San Diego County, following the detecti
Article

Pack Memories, Not Pests

December 1st, 2008
I ran into two members of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Patrol this afternoon. No, I wasn't at a border. I was merely walking the halls of the UC Davis Department of Entomology. The border patrol agents were there to meet with entomology department officials in Briggs Hall.
View Article
Primary Image
ESA AWARD--ESA President Michael Gray (left) presents the Recognition Award in Insect Physiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology to UC Davis chemical ecologist Walter Leal. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Article

DEET Plays a Role

November 28th, 2008
When UC Davis chemical ecologist Walter Leal received a major award from the Entomological Society of America at its 56th annual meeting, held in Reno, DEET has something to do with it.
View Article
Primary Image
BEE-ING THERE--Honey bees pollinate more than 90 crops, including the nectarine. The honey bee pollinates one third of the American diet. Without the honey bee, there would be no Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving as we know it. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Article

The Insect Behind Thanksgiving Day

November 27th, 2008
Happy Turkey Day! The last Thursday of November is Thanksgiving Day, but it really should be Honey Bee Day. Without the bees, wed have no Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving as we know it. They are our unstung heroes. They pollinate more than 90 agricultural crops in California.
View Article
Primary Image
FELLOW AWARD--ESA President Michael Gray (left) presents the highly acclaimed Fellow award to UC Davis entomologist Michael Parrella. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Article

Our Fellows

November 26th, 2008
One of the highlights of the Entomological Society of America's 56th annual meeting, held Nov. 16-19 in Reno, was the presentation of the Fellow awards. This year two of the 10 recipients came from the University of California faculty--or more specifically, from UC Davis.
View Article
Primary Image
A varroa mite (see reddish-brown spot on bee's thorax) at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, UC Davis. Varroa mites are native to Asia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Article

Those Dratted Mites

November 25th, 2008
Those dratted mites. UC Davis entomologist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor and a native bee pollinator specialist, sent us a BBC report linking a varroa mite infestation to a devastating honey production loss in the UK. It's the worst honey crisis ever to hit the UK.
View Article