Bug Squad

Have you hugged your taxonomist yet today? No? Probably can't due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but at least we can honor them every March 19 on Taxonomists' Appreciation Day. Basically, taxonomy is the science of describing, naming, defining and classifying organisms, both alive and extinct.

Seen any bumble bees lately? No? Me, neither. It's almost the first day of spring, and bumble bees are as scarce as the proverbial hen's teeth. (Hens have no teeth, y'know.) We've been watching our nectarine tree bloom. It's drawing honey bees, but no bumble bees.

(Editor's Note: Watch the April 3rd celebration of the Life and Legacy of Wittko Franke at https://youtu.be/HHQzvaJB33U.) Nature is more a world of scents than a source of noise.

If you've been following the startling spread of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, into California--it's been detected as far north as Shasta County since 2013--then you'll want to read about the innovative research underway by a team of UC Davis scientists led by medical entomologist-geneti...

Honey, what's going on with the honey? If you're a beekeeper, a food retailer, in honey production or just want to know more about honey adulteration and food authenticity and what you can do about it, this one's for you.