Bug Squad

It was all the buzz. Visitors at the annual California Agriculture Day, held Wednesday, March 18 on the west lawn of the State Capitol, made a beeline to the California State Beekeepers' Asssociation (CSBA) booth to see the bees, pocket some honey sticks and talk bees.

Ever watched Valley carpenter bees (Xylocopa varipuncta) foraging on salvia?

The "Painted Ladies" are back in the Davis area. These are not the two-legged type, but the winged type--Vanessa cardui. They're migrating and driving UC Davis entomology and ecology students nuts.

It was not the greatest of St. Patrick's Day surprises. A green lacewing nailed by a garden spider? And on the porch light fixture? So true.

You can tell it's almost spring when you hear bees buzzing on the flowering crab apples. Spring officially starts Friday, March 20, but don't tell that to the bees. They're in the midst of their spring build-up. Meanwhile, California Agriculture Day beckons.