Bug Squad

Butterfly expert Art Shapiro, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at UC Davis, isn't feeling so well--to put it mildly--but he still went out on one of his butterfly monitoring expeditions today at his study site in North Sacramento.

Do you have a little land to spare, such as a quarter of an acre or up to three acres? For honey bee habitat? The Pollinator Partnership, as part of its U.S.

Praying mantids are, oh, so patient. They perch on a flower, their spiked forelegs seemingly locked in a praying position, and wait to ambush unsuspecting prey. A green praying mantis recently did just that on our cosmos.

Two categories of evolutionary challenges result from escalating human impacts on the planet. The first arises from cancers, pathogens and pests that evolve too quickly, and the second from the inability of many valued species to adapt quickly enough.

Something was wrong. The Anise Swallowtail (Papillo zelicaon) that fluttered into our bee garden last weekend and began nectaring on zinnia wasn't quite herself. Her yellow and black coloring and the striking blue spot on the rear left wing looked fine.