Bug Squad

Scientists and honey bee enthusiasts have been debating the origin of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) for centuries. We know that European colonists introduced honey bees (Apis mellifera) into the Jamestown colony (now Virginia) in 1622.

Remember when, following an Elvis Presley concert, an emcee would announce "Elvis has left the building"? That was to signal that Elvis would not be returning for an encore. Since then, "Elvis has left the building," has served as a catchphrase for not only music celebrities but for retirees.

What does the increase in the overwintering Western monarch population along coastal California mean? The number of Danaus plexippus sightings showed a 100-fold increase as compared to last year, according to the Thanksgiving count initiated by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

You know those dratted aphids, those little pests that suck the very lifeblood out of your prized plants? Well, have you ever watched them give birth? They do, you know. Live births. The UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program says that "Aphids have many generations a year.

What a year! Termites seem to be capturing the interest of more folks than usual. First, emeritus Cooperative Extension specialist Vernard Lewis of UC Berkeley, highly respected as "The Termite Man," drew widespread attention on Nov.