Bug Squad

 Where are all the monarchs?Last year at this time,  we recorded monarchs arriving here in Vacaville, Solano County, to lay their eggs on our milkweed. So far this year: zero, zip, zilch.  Let's throw in a little nada, too, for good measure. Zero, zip, zilch, nada.Earlier this year, the…

 Does the common checkered skipper butterfly have a checkered past?That is, "good" and "bad" periods in its life history?It's known as Burnsius communis, formerly Pyrgus communis, a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It derives its common name from its checkerboard pattern of blue-gray and…

 When harpist Samantha Murray, garden and education coordinator of the UC Davis Bee Haven and a member of the UC Davis Class of 2025, presented her senior recital, she weaved in her "passion for the harp, her admiration for bees and the rich beauty of Javanese music."Her senior recital, now on YouTube,…

 What a wasp!“I've seen a lot of strange insects, but this has to be one of the most peculiar-looking ones I've seen in a while."That's what UC Davis Distinguished Professor Emerita Lynn Kimsey, fondly known as "The Wasp Woman," told a reporter for the Independent,   London, when asked about a…

 If a bee takes a liking to a morning glory, is it a glory bee?Have you seen the Convolvulus tricoloris flower,  commonly known as "morning glory" or "bindweed"? The plant boasts a flared blue trumpet flower with a white throat and yellow center. The genus is Latin for "twine around." The …