Bug Squad

From toe biters to flame skimmers... That's what visitors will see on "Aquatic Insect Day" on Sunday, March 24 at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, Davis.

That should be easy to do. There's so much to say. One hour.

It was a perfect St. Patrick's Day--not just for the wearing of the green, but for the wearing of the orange. The Gulf Fritillary butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) arrived in our yard Sunday afternoon, March 16 and deposited an egg, just like E. Bunny will do soon.

It's a sure sign of spring when we see "the teddy bear bee." Native pollinator specialist Robbin Thorp, emeritus professor of entomology at the University of California, Davis, calls the male Valley carpenter bee (Xylocopa varipuncta) "the teddy bear bee." An apt description, to be sure.

It's truly amazing how the study of insect biology can lead to research that may benefit humankind. Take entomologist Bruce Hammock, distinguished professor of entomology at the University of California, Davis.