Bug Squad

Two icons, the American flag and the monarch butterfly, are flying high today. The American flag, or "Old Glory," symbolizes our democracy. The 13 stripes represent the 13 colonies that declared--and won--independence from Great Britain. The 50 stars in the field of blue denote our 50 states.

What a delight to see. We strolled through milkweed patches in the UC Davis Arboretum Thursday noon and saw them. Monarchs! The monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are returning from their coastal California overwintering sites. And we're getting new generations.

Did you know that monarch butterflies use a circadian clock to navigate to their overwintering sites during their seasonal long-distance migration? Yes, they do, says a Texas A&M researcher.

Talk about pollen! The bumble bees, Bombus vandykei (as identified by Robbin Thorp, distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at the University of California, Davis), were buzzing all over the Phacelia last week on the central campus.

Big Red visited us for four consecutive days. The red flameskimmer dragonfly, Libellula saturata, zigged and zagged into our pollinator garden in Vacaville, Calif. and perched on a bamboo stake for five hours at a time.