Bug Squad

Mother's Day, insect-style, dawned like any other day. In our back yard, golden honey bees foraged in the lavender and those ever-so-tiny sweat bees visited the rock purslane. The honey bees? Those gorgeous Italians.

First the buds, then the blossoms, then the bees. The Hagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a half-acre, bee-friendly garden planted in the fall of 2009 next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis, is, in one wordspectacular.

Sunday, May 8 is Mother's Day. Saturday, May 7 is Moth-er's Day. Yes, that's Moth-er's Day, Lepidopteran style. That's when the Bohart Museum of Entomology will showcase moths at a special weekend opening from 1 to 4 p.m.

Forensic entomologist Robert Kimsey of the UC Davis Department of Entomology is known as "The Fly Man of Alcatraz." When he's not teaching classes, advising students and graduate students, or heading out on homicide cases, you can usually find him on "The Rock"--researching flies.

County fairs are known for cotton candy, corn dogs and cool treats. But some--such as the 136th annual Dixon May Fair in Solano County--have bugs! When the fair opens Wednesday, May 4 at 655 S. First St., the Floriculture Building will house gorgeous flowers...and gorgeous bugs. The Harry H.