Bug Squad

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." That's the line that came to me Saturday when I released a week-old Gulf Fritillary butterfly I'd reared in our home. Kris Kristofferson penned that line in his hit song, "Me and Bobby McGee," popularized by Janis Joplin.

The boys won't be back in town for awhile. But they will show up. Girls, too.

If you've been itching for that long--awaited book about North America's bumble bees, the itch and the wait are over. You can now order the book, titled "Bumble Bees of North America: An identification Guide," on the Princeton University Press website.

It's time for a spray of sunshine. The golden daisy bush (genus Euryops, family Asteraeae), will do that to you. The popular perennial both brightens your garden and attracts honey bees and other insects. The name originates from "eurys," Greek for "large" and "ops," meaning eye.

"How to Attract and Maintain Pollinators in Your Garden." That's the title of a new publication by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) and what a gem this is. It's not only a gem, but it's free. You can download the publication on this site.