Bug Squad

Got squash blossoms? You've probably got squash bees. Unlike honey bees, which are generalists, squash bees are specialists. They pollinate only members of the cucurbits or squash family, Cucurbitaceae, which includes pumpkins, squash, gourds, cucumbers and zucchini.

It is indeed a lovely beast, as lepidopterist Art Shapiro, UC Davis distinguished professor of evolution and ecology, says. Ann Sievers, owner, grower and miller of Il Fiorello Olive Oil Co.

How do you keep ants off your hummingbird feeders? That was a question a Bug Squad reader asked: "I was wondering if you had any tips on how to keep ants off and out of the hummingbird feeder? I've put Vaseline on the line it hangs from, and that helped for a long time.

It's a damsel, but not in distress. It's a Familiar Bluett, but it's not all that familiar--unless you study Odonata. Lately we've been seeing scores of damseflies zigzagging in our pollinator garden in Vacaville, Calif.

You may have lost track of the hours, days, weeks and months due to the coronavirus pandemic, but how can you forget National Pollinator Week? Especially if you've ventured out in your yard, garden or park and witnessed the pollinators doing what they do best.