Bug Squad

Forceps, please! Have you ever stopped to admire a blossom and seen forceps protruding? Earwig! We were walking near Mrak Hall, UC Davis, on a hot summery afternoon and spotted a tell-tale sign: abdominal forceps, aka pinchers or pincers. Earwig! We unfolded the blossom and an earwig crawled out.

Honey bee foragers collect nectar, pollen, water and propolis. Propolis? What's propolis? It's that sticky plant resin or "goo" that the bees use to seal small spaces in the hive. It's also known as "bee glue.

Quick! When you think of non-native species, what's your first reaction? That they're Public Enemy No.

Have you hugged your favorite pollinator today? It's National Pollinator Week, and you're allowed to do that this week. Actually, any time you feel the inclination. Honey bees, bumble bees, wool carder bees, leafcutter bees, sweat bees--they're all out there, ready for a hug.

Who celebrated the most? Homo sapiens or Apis mellifera? It was difficult to tell.