Bug Squad

Welcome to the Bug Squad blog! The Bug Squad blog was launched Aug. 6, 2008 and is a daily blog (Monday through Friday). It showcases entomologists and the work they do. The blog focuses on scientists in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, the Bohart Museum of Entomology, Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, the UC Davis Bee Haven, and assorted campuswide events, including UC Davis Picnic Day, UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, and Bohart Museum open houses. The blog spotlights insects, including bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and praying mantises, as well as arachnids such as jumping spiders and crab spiders. Author and photographer is Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a longtime journalist and community scientist with two degrees from Washington State University. She is a member of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). Her blog posts and images have won international awards from ACE and ESA and appeared on journal and magazine covers. She shoots primarily with a Nikon Z-8 mirrorless camera, a Nikon D500 and Nikon 800, with assorted macro lenses. Feedspot lists it as one of the top entomology blogs on the Internet.

Ride 'em, Cowboy!

April 21, 2009

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

Lady beetles, aka ladybugs, eat lots of aphids. Did we say lots of aphids? Lots of aphids. They have no portion control. If you watch closely, you'll see them gobble aphids like theater-goers devour buttered popcorn.

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Ol' Blue Eyes

April 20, 2009

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

It wasn't the Battle of the Sexes. It was the Battle of the Males. I spotted two male carpenter bees buzzing loudly over the salvia (sage) in our back yard Saturday morning. Each was lying in wait for a female, but instead found a competitor.

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ROUNDING UP THE TERMITES--Coordinating the termite trail activity last year at the UC Davis Picnic Day at Briggs Hall was graduate student Tara Thiemann. She'll also be coordinating the termite trails again this year. The UC Davis Picnic Day is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 18. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

They'll Walk the Line

April 17, 2009

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

Who hates termites? Raise your hands. Those dratted termites damage our homes, decks, furniture, fence posts and other wooden materials. But at the 95th annual UC Davis Picnic Day on Saturday, April 18, youll see termites walk the line--ala the Johnny Cash song--between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

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FLY ON A ROSE--We're accustomed to seeing insects on roses, but not flies. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Fly on a Rose Petal

April 16, 2009

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

Poet Gertrude Stein wrote in her 1913 poem, "Sacred Emily," that "a rose is a rose is a rose." Things are what they are. The laws of identity. No matter where I go, there I am. When I captured this photo last Sunday of a fly on a rose petal, I immediately thought "A fly is a fly is a fly.

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COOPERATIVE EXTENSION APICULTURIST Eric Mussen (center) answers questions about honey at the annual honey tasting table at Briggs Hall, UC Davis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A Taste of Honey

April 15, 2009

By Kathy Keatley Garvey

If you attend the 95th annual UC Davis Picnic Day on Saturday, April 18 and stop by Briggs Hall between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you'll get a taste of honey. In fact, six tastes of honey.

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