Bug Squad

"You can never be too rich, too young, too blonde or too thin," a quote often attributed to Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. Well, you can never have too many ladybugs, aka lady beetles, in your garden. These colorful beetles devour aphids and other soft-bodied insects.

So you like bugs... C'mon, just a little bit? If so, you're in luck. The UC Davis Department of Entomology is featuring scores of insects from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 16 as part of the campuswide Picnic Day.

It's called the "Pride of Madeira" but don't let that name fool you. True, it's the pride of the Portuguese island of Madeira, where it's endemic, but it's also the joy of Bodega Bay. "What's that purplish spiked flower that grows somewhat like a yucca or a tower of jewels?" visitors ask.

There's a good reason why lady beetles, aka ladybugs, are prevalent this time of year: aphids. Ladybugs, from the family Coccinellidae, are actually beetles with voracious appetites for those soft-bodied insects that suck plant juices. Wherever there are aphids, you'll usually see ladybugs.

Some call them "soldier beetles." Some call them "leather-winged beetles." Some call them "Cantharids" (family Cantharidae). Whatever you call them, be sure to welcome them to your garden. They eat aphids, lots of aphids. Like the good soldiers they are, they're ready to do battle.