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Bug Squad

Bug Squad blog image depicts a honey bee sting in action.

Welcome to the Bug Squad blog! The Bug Squad blog was launched Aug. 6, 2008 and is a daily blog (Monday through Friday). It showcases entomologists and the work they do.  The blog focuses on scientists in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, the Bohart Museum of Entomology, Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, the UC Davis Bee Haven, and assorted campuswide events, including UC Davis Picnic Day, UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, and Bohart Museum open houses. The blog spotlights insects, including bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and praying mantises, as well as arachnids such as jumping spiders and crab spiders. Author and photographer is Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a longtime journalist and community scientist with two degrees from Washington State University.  She is a member of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). Her blog posts and images have won international awards from ACE and ESA and appeared on journal and magazine covers. She shoots primarily with a Nikon Z-8 mirrorless camera, a Nikon D500 and Nikon 800, with assorted macro lenses. Feedspot lists it as one of the top entomology blogs on the Internet. 

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Image of Ralph Washington Jr. on his website

McClellan Ranch Preserve Honoring Ralph Washington Jr., Black History Month

February 11, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 It's so great to see the McClellan Ranch Preserve of the City of Cupertino celebrate Black History Month by shining the spotlight on UC Davis alumnus Ralph Washington, Jr., and his journey to become an entomologist.Ralph is featured in a display in the Environmental Education Center of the 18-acre…
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Native bee art displayed on the garden shed, UC Davis Bee Haven. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tour The Bee Haven on UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day

February 10, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Ready to tour the UC Davis Bee Haven at the 15th annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day on Saturday, Feb. 21? The Haven is one 12 UC Davis museums or collections  that will be showcased on this very special day known as "Super Science Day," a day to discover, explore and connect. The event,…
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Stick insect at Bohart Museum of Entomology

How to Navigate UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day

February 9, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 How do you navigate the  15th Annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day--which features 12 museums and collections across campus--during the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. time frame on Saturday, Feb. 21? "We recommend you decide on several museums and collections and concentrate on them," said committee…
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Lena Mueller

Lena Müeller and Her Research on Plant-Fungi Interactions

February 6, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Ever heard of "arbuscular mycorrhiza symbiosis?" It's a beneficial interaction between plants and fungi. And that will be the focal point of an upcoming UC Davis seminar by  plant molecular biologist Lena Müeller of the Salk Institute's Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, La…
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Cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Who Won the 2026 Beer-for-a-Butterfly Contest?

February 5, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Have you heard the story about a lepidopterist and a herpetologist who walk into a bar? And, a cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, goes, too?That's exactly what happened on Wednesday, Feb. 4, when the co-winners of the 2026 Beer-for-a-Butterfly Contest celebrated with beer and conversation at a…
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