Backyard Orchard News
UC Davis Researcher to Discuss Fascinating World of Orchid Bees
In the human world, women may splash themselves with perfume to attract men, but did you know that...
Santiago Ramirez captured this image of an orchid bee on an orchid. The tropical bees are distributed throughout Central and South America.
An orchid bee in flight. (Photo by Santiago Ramirez)
UC Davis Bee Symposium on May 7: The Place to 'Bee'
It's the place to "bee" on Sunday, May 7 at the University of California, Davis. You'll meet...
Apiculturist Steve Sheppard of Washington State University is the keynote speaker at the UC Davis Bee Symposium. (WSU Photo)
There's a Black Widow Spider in the Parade!
The venomous black widow spider (Latrodectus hesperus) is usually found in and around wood piles,...
UC Davis Entomology Club members with the black widow spider float are (from left) Darian Dungey, James Fong, Chloe Shott (partially shown), Ben Maples (partially shown) James Heydon, Maia Lundy, Diego Rivera. Lundy is the president of the club. (Photo by Melissa Cruz)
UC Davis Entomology Club members "walk" the black widow spider in the UC Davis Picnic Day Parade. From left are Eliza Litsey, Ben Maples (in spider abdomen), Chloe Shott (in spider cephalothorax), Darian Dungey (holding sign), James Heydon, James Fong (in bee costume), Crystal Homicz, and Diego Rivera. (Photo by Melissa Cruz)
Following the parade, the black widow spider was showcased in front of Briggs Hall, home of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A young child stares at the black widow spider in front of Briggs Hall, UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Why Dead Bees Can Sting
Can dead bees sting? Yes, they can. Here's the scenario: Our pollinator garden is buzzing with the...
A California scrub jay nails a honey bee. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The California scrub jay decapitates the honey bee, avoiding the abdomen with the stinger. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
This is what was left of the honey bee from the photos above. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
On UC Davis Picnic Day, scrub jays had a picnic of their own in the author's yard, decapitating honey bees, and leaving behind the abdomens. Note the stingers. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Show Me the Honey--And They Did!
Show me the honey! That was a popular refrain at the 103rd annual UC Davis Picnic Day, held...
Graduate student Jackson Audley of the Steve Seybold lab hands a honey-coated toothpick to a participant. At far left is graduate student Wei Lin of the Brian Johnson lab. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Graduate students Yao Cai (left) of the Joanna Chiu lab and Wei Lin of the Brian Johnson lab, greet participants. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Graduate students Maureen Page (foreground) of the Neal Williams lab, and Patricia Bohls of the Elina Niño serve honey. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A poster describing many honey varietals drew a lot of interest at the honey tasting table. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)