Bug Squad

Think of the ABCs: almonds, blueberries and cherries. Then think of watermelons and pumpkins. All those crops will be discussed in a series of free webinars on Ensuring Crop Pollination in U.S. Specialty Crops, set Jan. 24 through March 28.

How much do you know about ticks? How much do you know about nematodes? What would you like to know?

Bet you've never seen a butterfly like this! The colorful butterfly seemed to flutter from a blanket that Solano County 4-H'er Erica Lull was sewing last Saturday, Jan. 14, at a Cuddle Me Close community service project.

"We have no rapae!" No rapae today! That's the latest report from Art Shapiro, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis. He's sponsoring his annual Butterfly-for-a-Beer Contest and it's Day 13, Friday the 13th.

Despite the widespread interest in migrating monarch butterflies, other insects migrate, too. That's way we were excited to see National Public Radio's Nell Greenfieldboyce generate a recent piece on "Bugs Abound: If You Think the Skies Are Crowded, You Have No Idea.