Backyard Orchard News
The Beatles Have Nothing on The Beetles
It's the "in" thing. Insects--their beauty, their structure, their diversity--are inspiring noted...
"The Beetles" is one of the most popular t-shirts designed, crafted and sold by members of the UC Davis Entomoogy Graduate Students' Association.
Honey bees are also a favorite. This t-shirt was designed by graduate student Danny Klittich, who now has his doctorate in entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Stacey Rice, a former junior specialist in the lab of the late Extension entomologist Larry Godfrey, designed this t-shirt she is wearing. This is "Hymenoptera on Bicycle."(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
LIndcove REC Fruit Display and Tasting!
This weekend is the annual Lindcove REC Fruit Display and Tasting Event! (22963 Carson...
Bumble Bee Braking During a Winter Break
You never know what you'll find when you visit a pollinator garden. Take the case of our visit...
A queen yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, brakes during a winter break in Sonoma. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Of Butterfly Patterns and Genetic Codes
Who knew? You've probably watched those colorful painted ladies (Vanessa cardui) fluttering...
A painted lady, Vanessa cardui, on lantana in Vacaville, Calif. Now researchers at the University of Manitoba have identified the genetic code by which butterflies can assign color patterns to different parts of their wings during development. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A painted lady, Vanessa cardui, nectaring on lantana in Vacaville, Calif. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The presence of a predator startles a painted lady, Vanessa cardui. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Lady Beetles: The First Ladies of the Garden Having a Ball
See those red spots on your milkweed seed pods? Lady beetles (aka ladybugs or "garden heroes") are...
A lady beetle feasts on aphids on a milkweed plant, Gomphocarpus physocarpus, also known as balloon-plant milkweed or hairy balls. Note the spiky hairs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Peek-a-boo? Or peek-a-beetle? A lady beetle, resplendent in red, crawls through the spiky hairs of milkweed seed pods. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Hurry! A lady beetle snags aphids on a milkweed seed pod, while other aphids try to escape (far right). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)