UC Blogs
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The Spider and the Bee
A crab spider, family Thomisidae, lies motionless in a patch of lavender, waiting to ambush a honey bee. So here I am, a crab spider, as hungry as can be Does anyone out there feel sorry for me? "Yes," say the...
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The Secret Life of a Blister Beetle
Blister beetles (family Meloidae) are so named because they emit a poisonous chemical, cantharidin, that can blister your skin. Don't even think about touching them! Blister beetles can infest alfalfa hay, and are toxic--even...
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Our Buddies in the Garden
When you venture into your pollinator garden, look for the beauty, color, diversity and the intensity that surrounds you. You will be astounded. A honey bee nectaring on lavender in a soft-pastel scenario. A katydid nymph crawling (backlit) on a...
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The unintended consequences of clean fuel policies
How policies affect emissions, land use, and the prices of fuel and vegetable oils Over the last two decades, both the federal government and state governments have enacted policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation...
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Meet 'The Moth Man' at Bohart Museum's Moth Night
Meet "The Moth Man." If you attend the Bohart Museum of Entomology's annual Moth Night celebration, affiliated with National Moth Week, you'll meet John De Benedictis, better known as “The Moth Man.” The indoor-outdoor event, free...
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Ettamarie Peterson: The Queen Bee Who'd Rather Be a Worker Bee
Ettamarie Peterson, fondly known as "The Queen Bee of Sonoma County," will be displaying a bee observation hive at the Vacaville Museum's Children's Party on Thursday, Aug. 8 but the life of a queen bee is not for her. "I have decided I...
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Fancy Meeting You Here, Mr. Potato Capsid
One potato, two potato, three potato, four... You never know what will pop up in a pollinator garden. Meet Mr. Potato Capsid, Closterotomus norvegicus, often found on nettle, potato, clover and cannabis. We spotted him (or her) in a...
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Why Soldier Beetles Deserve the Aphid Belt
It's the Fourth of July and what better time to post images of the aptly name "soldier beetles" than today. These insects (family Cantharidae) resemble the uniforms of the British soldiers of the American Revolution, which is apparently how their name...
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UC Davis Entomology and Nematology Retiring Faculty Amass 247 Years of Service
247 years! The seven faculty members honored at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's recent retirement luncheon amassed an amazing 247 years of service: UC Davis distinguished professor James Carey, 44 years, faculty member...