The Bug Doctor Is In

Submitted by szgarvey on April 23rd, 2025

Doctoral student Iris Quayle of the Jason Bond lab answers a question. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) — Doctoral student Iris Quayle of the Jason Bond lab answers a question at the Bug Doctor table. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bug Squad Blog
By Kathy Keatley Garvey

“The Doctor Is In.”

That’s a phrase indicating that a doctor is available to see patients, or that a medical office or clinic is open for appointments.

In the Peanuts’ cartoon, Lucy offers psychiatric advice in her "Doctor Is In" booth (for the paltry sum of five cents, or or peanuts).

At the annual UC Davis Picnic Day, it’s the Entomology Graduate Student Association (EGSA) fielding questions at its "Bug Doctor" table at Briggs Hall about everything from ants to butterflies.

They’re likely to hear such questions as:

Why are the ants having a family reunion in my kitchen? And how can I uninvite them?
Why do mosquitoes like me so much?
How long do butterflies live?
What’s the difference between butterflies and moths?
What’s your favorite insect?
What bugs ya?
Where's the restroom?
Where can I buy an EGSA T-shirt online? (https://ucdavisentgrad.square.site/)
When’s the next Bohart Museum of Entomology open house? (That would be Sunday, May 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane. And yes, it’s free and family friendly)

And one question that predominated at the EGSA booth: “Where does that long line go to?” (To the activities and displays in the Briggs Hall courtyard and Room 122)

Cara Cristina "CC" Edwards of the Geoffrey Attardo lab responds to a question. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) — Carla Christina "CC" Edwards of the lab of medical entomologist-geneticist Geoffrey Attardo responds to a question at the Bug Doctor table. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Professor Jason Bond conversing with doctoral candidate Ziv Lieberman. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) — Professor Jason Bond, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology and associate dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, conversing with doctoral candidate and ant specialist Ziv Lieberman. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Doctoral candidate Emma "Em" Jochim of the Jason Bond lab fields a question. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) — Doctoral candidate Emma "Em" Jochim of the Jason Bond lab answers a question. She served as the EGSA chair of the UC Davis Picnic Day activities at Briggs Hall. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)