Bug Squad

Insects played a key role in the recent awards announced by the international Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life and Human Sciences (ACE). Five entomology-related entries from UC Davis won awards.

Got milk? Got a question about tsetse flies? Yes? Then you'll want to attend the Science Caf presentation on Wednesday, June 7, when medical entomologist and tsetse expert Geoffrey Attardo of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology will discuss Got Milk?

Remember that massive green blob that showed up Tuesday night, June 4 on the National Weather Service (NWS) radar in San Diego, and NWS tweeted it was a a cloud of ladybugs (termed a bloom)? Wait! They may NOT have been ladybugs, scientifically known as lady beetles, family Coccinellidae.

We cannot imagine a world without Dr. Robbin Thorp. The distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at the University of California, Davis--he preferred to be known as Robbin--was a global and legendary authority on bees, an amazing person and an incredible scientist.

What a show! Last weekend we spotted female European wool carder bees (so named because they collect or card plant hairs for their nests) buzzing in and out of our snapdragons. The bees, about the size of honey bees, are mostly black and yellow.