Bug Squad

If you missed the first-ever UC Davis Bee Symposium on keeping bees healthy, not to worry The event, hosted May 9 in the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science by the Honey and Pollination Center and the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, drew some 360 people.

It's a delight to see boy bumble bees sleeping overnight in the lavender. Two species of bumble bees--Bombus vosnesenkii and Bombus californicus--have been slumbering in our lavender for the past several weeks.

Lessons from the hive! Sound familiar? Honey bee scientist and noted author Mark Winston will speak on Bee Time: Lessons from the Hive at a special seminar hosted by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology on Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. in 122 Briggs, Kleiber Hall Drive.

It was windy enough to trigger a small craft advisory. Yet here comes a flameskimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) around noon on Monday, Memorial Day, circling our little bee garden. He chases a few flying insects around and then perches on a bamboo stake to eat them.

Down on the farm...the Loma Vista Farm.... When the Loma Vista Farm--part of the Vallejo City Unified School District--recently hosted its annual Spring Festival, scores of folks came to see the animals, buy a plant or two, and participate in the many activities.