Bug Squad

Never say "pipe down" to a pipevine swallowtail. It's a butterfly we treasure. You may have seen it nectaring on your butterfly bush. It's black with blue iridescent upper wings and orange arrowhead-like spots on its inner wings.

Talk about greed. Talk about gluttony. How much food does a banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) need? For 30 minutes, we watched a well-fed banded garden spider catch bee after bee in its sticky web that it had cleverly anchored between two lavender plants.

Nobody lost their head today. Oh, in the people world, all across our nation's workplaces, they did. Eyes rolled, tempers flared, outbursts erupted and some angry assailants went into what my ol' journalism professor aptly described as "a blithering rage.

The Monarchs are on the move. In the late summer and early fall, the Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) head for the California coastline or central Mexico to overwinter. "Monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains travel to small groves of trees along the California coast," according to Monarchwatch.org.

If your dog is well, a little chunky, you're probably accustomed to someone saying "Fido never misses a meal, does he?" Well, those little freeloader flies never miss a meal, either. They not only never miss a meal, but they're never late for dinner. First come, first served. Table for 12, please.