Bug Squad

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.

Standing in front of the blacklighting, Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas talks to moth enthusiasts at the 2017 Bohart Museum of Entomology Moth Night. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bohart Museum Open House: Let's Celebrate Moths!

July 5, 2018

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

National Moth Week, July 21-29, celebrates the beauty, life cycles and habitats of moths. What's not to celebrate? And you can do so at the University of California, Davis.

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The monarch chrysalis bulges, a sure sign that eclosure is imminent. At right is a newly formed green chrysalis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Independence Day for a Monarch

July 4, 2018

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

Have you ever seen a monarch butterfly eclose? It's a magical moment. First an egg, then a caterpillar, then a chrysalis, and then a butterfly, Danaus plexippus. We took some images of a monarch eclosing back on Sept. 10, 2016. It was late in the season.

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Yao-“Fruit-Fly”-Cai has been playing drums since age 17. (Photos by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bugs and Beat: Talented UC Davis Graduate Students Form Insect-Themed Band

July 3, 2018

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

If you missed hearing The Entomology Band performing in front of Briggs Hall during the recent UC Davis Picnic Day, not to worry. They're featured in a recent Entomology Today blog, published by the Entomological Society of America (and written by yours truly) and headlined "Bugs and Beat.

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Water warrior Bruce Hammock dumps water on Kevin Cloonan, then a graduate student in the Walter Leal lab. (2012 photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Big Balloon Battle at Briggs: Just Call It '15 Minutes of Aim'

July 2, 2018

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

Just call it "15 Minutes of Aim." That's how long it takes to toss 2,000 water balloons. Or, rather, that's how long it takes the Bruce Hammock laboratory at the University of California, Davis, to toss 2,000 water balloons.

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See the bumble bee on the aghan (top row)? This Minnesota sample afghan is the work of Debra Holter of San Pablo. Holding it are McCormack Hall superintendent Gloria Gonzalez (right) and assistant Kara Payne. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

'Blue Ribbon Fun' at Solano County Fair Includes Bugs

June 29, 2018

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

The 69th annual Solano County Fair, located at 900 Fairgrounds Drive, is themed "Blue Ribbon Fun"--and that includes bugs. The two-day fair, downsized from years past, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 30 and Sunday, July 1. Admission is free; parking is $5 per vehicle. (See schedule.

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