- (Focus Area) Family
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Meanwhile, here's another look at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's 2024 Moth Night, which drew widespread interest.
No one knows exactly how many moth events took place across the nation during National Moth Week, just as no one can predict how many species of moths and other night-flying insects will come to your porch light at night, or to your blacklighting display (UV light illuminating a hanging white sheet).
"Scientists estimate there are at minimum 150,000 moth species, and some believe that there could be over 500,000! Moths have been found that are small as a pinhead and as large as an adult-human's hand," according to NationalToday.com. "But of course, it's the incredibly complicated wing colors and patterns that make them especially dazzling."
A New Jersey non-profit organization, Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission, launched the national event in 2012. The organization is dedicated to the conservation and promotion of the local environment.
The Bohart Museum's global collection of 8 million insects includes some 825,454 specimens of moths and butterflies, including 618,750 moths, ranging in size from the huge Atlas moths (10-inch wingspan) to the extremely tiny (4 mm wingspan) leafminer moths, says Jeff Smith, curator of the Lepidoptera collection. He and Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas showed dozens of moth specimens and answered questions.
What moths were drawn to the blacklighting display? (See list on Bug Squad blog). Retired UC Davis staff associate John "Moth Man" De Benedictus and his colleagues set up the blacklighting display. UC Davis doctoral student Iris Quayle fielded questions about the differences between moths and butterflies (See Bug Squad blog).
In today's blog, we share images of
- Moth-er Volkmar Heinrich, UC Davis associate professor of biomedical engineering
- Moth-ers UC Davis doctoral candidate Peter Coggan and his father, Pete Coggan of Minnesota (See Bug Squad blog)
- UC Davis student Kaitai Liu who showed stick insects and Madagascar hissing cockroaches from the live petting zoo
- UC Davis graduate student Riley Hoffman and fellow Bohart volunteer Barbara Heinsch, who staffed the family arts-and-crafts table.
Light Pollution. The Coggans answered many questions about light pollution. "Most organisms have come to rely on nighttime darkness for knowing when to reproduce, preparing for the winter, and moving around their environment," commented UC Davis doctoral student Peter Coggan. "The Industrial Revolution Artificial Light At Night (ALAN) has become a major conservation issue, disorienting and confusing countless species, often resulting in death. ALAN often kills or displaces organisms like bats, moths, and fireflies, making our nights less bio- diverse and more mosquito filled."
"Not only does it alter animal behavior but ALAN also has been linked to many human health issues like depression, obesity, and cancer," he said. "Although not widely known, ALAN is one of the easiest environmental crises to solve. Raising awareness and getting communities to reduce their light usage can solve the issue overnight and bring back the animals of darkness and the stars back to them."
The Bohart Museum's Moth Night also featured a display of various silk textile and cocoons, donated to the museum by Professor Richard Peigler of the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio. Bohart associate Mike Pitcairn, retired senior environmental scientist and supervisor, California Department of Food and Agriculture's Biological Control Program, staffed the table. (See more in upcoming Bug Squad blog.)
The Bohart Museum, founded in 1946, is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus. Director of the insect museum is Professor Jason Bond, the Evert and Marion Schlinger Endowed Chair of UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and associate dean, Agricultural Sciences, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
The open houses are free and family friendly. The next open house is on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. The theme: "Museum ABC's: Arthropods, Bohart and Collecting." Access the website at https://bohart.ucdavis.edu or email bmuseum@ucdavis.edu for more information.
- Author: Michael Hsu
UC ANR Fire Network compiles expert advice on preparedness, evacuation tasks
The explosive growth of the Park Fire in Northern California was fueled by recent, intense heat waves and extremely dry vegetation – conditions seen at many locations across the state.
Given the potential for wildfire and smoke impacts during what is expected to be a protracted “fire season,” California residents should think ahead and complete emergency preparations: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Preparedness/.
“If you are concerned that you or someone you know could be affected by fire or smoke, now is the time to take simple steps to prepare,” said Yana Valachovic, University of California Cooperative Extension forest advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties.
Valachovic and other members of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network are urging community members to tackle small but significant tasks to minimize potential fire damage. Many of these tasks can be finished in a weekend, such as:
- Clean debris from your roof and gutters.
- Inspect the area around your home and nearby structures and remove all combustibles (dead grass, plants, woody mulch, stored wood, etc.) in the first 5 feet, including under decks and stairs.
- Inspect the foundation, under-eave, and gable-end vents for holes and damage; add a layer of finer metal-mesh screens (1/8” mesh) to the vents to prevent ember penetration.
- Inspect the garage door bottom seal to make sure embers can't blow under the door.
- Replace the first 5 feet of wooden fences that attach to buildings with a noncombustible panel or gate.
A recently published report, “Retrofitting a Home for Wildfire Resistance,” also can help residents prioritize the measures that are most cost-effective and fit their budget.
Six things to do, six hours before evacuation
As evacuation warnings are issued for local communities, there are six important things to do in advance of an actual evacuation order, according to Valachovic:
- Close windows, pet doors and skylights.
- Move inside patio cushions, brooms and door mats; tie open wooden gates that attach to the house or deck to prevent a fire from traveling from the fence to the house.
- Relocate the barbecue propane tank away from home.
- Stage buckets of water and garden hoses in visible locations.
- Dress for evacuation: cotton clothes, sturdy shoes, hat and face protection and leather gloves.
- Put your “go bag” in your vehicle.
The UC ANR Fire Network website also includes downloadable checklists – in English and Spanish – for your go bag (https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Safety/Evacuation/Preparing_a_Go-Bag/) and for a host of important pre-evacuation tasks for your household, property, pets and livestock (https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Safety/Evacuation/).
“We want communities to be wildfire-prepared – not scared,” Valachovic emphasized.
Smoke exposure a significant public health concern
Hazardous smoke can blanket wide swaths of California – and much of the Western U.S. – during ongoing wildfire events. A primer on harmful health effects, a list of tips for reducing smoke exposure, and other resources and links can be found on the UC ANR Fire Network site: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Safety/Air_Quality_and_Smoke/.
“If there's smoke in the forecast for the next few days, I would keep an eye on my local air quality at fire.airnow.gov,” said Katie Low, statewide coordinator for UC ANR's Fire Network. “And if the AQI – Air Quality Index – is high, I would limit my outdoor activity, wear an N95 mask if I do go outside, and run my air purifier.”
For instructions on making a DIY air cleaner, creating a “clean air space” in your home and fitting an N95 mask properly, visit the California Air Resources Board's “Smoke Ready California” page: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/smokereadyca.
Another useful tool is the crowd-sourced #FireMappers fire activity map – powered by the National Alliance for Public Safety GIS Foundation, GISCorps, and CEDR Digital Corps – accessible through the UC ANR Fire Network site: https://ucanr.edu/sites/fire/Safety/Current/.
/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The Vacaville Museum Guild's annual children's party--for Vacaville children ages 3 to 9--promises to be a honey of a party.
Themed "Fun on the Farm," it's an entertaining and educational event set for 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 8 in the museum courtyard, 213 Buck Ave.,Vacaville.
Coordinators Pamela King and Diana McLaughlin said the children's party will include a walk-around Queen Bee handing out honey sticks, and a real "Queen Bee"--Ettamarie Peterson of Petaluma, known as the Queen Bee of Sonoma, who will display a bee observation hive. Another Queen Bee, Amina Harris, has donated honey sticks.
The event also will include 4-H animals, a walk-around Mother Goose, face-painting, and a ring toss with a hobby horse named Trigger. The youngsters will create sand art jars, craft paper crowns, plant seeds in a take-home container, and pose for photos behind a UC Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology California dogface butterfly cutout banner. The menu, free with the $3 admission, includes hot dogs, popcorn, chips, cookies and water. Tickets can be purchased only at the museum on Thursdays through Saturdays between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Capsule information:
Ettamarie Peterson. She's a retired teacher, a longtime beekeeper, a 4-H beekeeping leader and a great-grandmother who loves to talk about bees and show her bee observation hive at schools and special events. She'll point out the queen bee, worker bees and drones and discuss their roles. “I started beekeeping before I retired in 1998 from 37 years of teaching,” Peterson says. She has served as president and treasurer of the Sonoma County Beekeepers' Association (SCBA) and edits the SCBA newsletter, The Monthly Extractor. She collects swarms for her Liberty 4-H Club beekeepers. "I got involved in 4-H when my son wanted his daughters to learn how to keep bees. They are both parents now so I am hoping to teach the three great-grandsons, too!"
Peterson is also a longtime friend and supporter of UC Davis. She delivered a tribute to the late Eric Mussen (1946-2022), a 38-year California Cooperative Extension apiculturist and member of the Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty.
Queen Bee Costume. The queen bee costume is from the UC Davis-based California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP), founded and directed by apiculturist/bee scientist Elina Lastro Niño, associate professor of UC Cooperative Extension, and a member of the faculty of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. CAMBP is "a continuous train-the-trainer effort," the website explains. "The CAMBP's vision is to certify Honey Bee Ambassador, Apprentice, Journey, and Master level beekeepers so they can effectively communicate the importance of honey bees and other pollinators within their communities, serve as mentors for other beekeepers, and become the informational conduit between the beekeeping communities throughout the state and UCCE (UC Cooperative Extension) staff." Program managers are Wendy Mather and Kian Nikzad.
Honey Sticks. The wildflower honey sticks were donated by Amina Harris, founding director of the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center who retired last year to return to her family business, Z Food Specialty and The HIVE, 1221 Harter Ave, Woodland. The Hive is known as the largest honey and mead tasting room in California and is newly featured in Travel and Leisure. A community gathering place, The Hive "aims to educate and engage visitors in varietal honeys, mead, honey bees, and pollinators." A honey-inspired menu features local and seasonal farm-to-fork foods. A pollinator garden and musical presentations are also draws. Amina's husband, Ishai Zeldner (he passed in 2018 at age 71), founded the business. Amina serves as the Queen Bee; son, Josh Zeldner is the nectar director, and daughter, Shoshana Zeldner, is the director of brand strategy. See more about the family and its business here.
Be a Butterfly. Attendees will pose for pictures behind the cut-out California dogface butterfly banner from the Bohart Museum. They also will see Bohart associate Greg Kareofelas' macro images of the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and adult. The California dogface butterfly, Zerene eurydice, is the state insect, as designated by State Legislature in 1972. The butterfly is found only in California from the foothills of the Sierra Nevada to the Coast Ranges and from Sonoma south to San Diego. Its habitat also includes Gates Canyon, Vacaville. The male butterfly, which sports a yellow silhouette of a dog's head on its wings, is known as "the flying pansy." The female is mostly solid yellow except for a single black spot on its upper wings.
- Author: Linda J Forbes
Entre agosto del 2023 y marzo del 2024, residentes de recursos limitados de diversos orígenes étnicos del condado de San Bernardino participaron en clases interactivas en las que expertos de Extensión Cooperativa de la Universidad de California les enseñaron sobre seguridad alimentaria, a reducir el desperdicio de comida y producir sus propios alimentos.
Las clases, son parte de un proyecto que se lleva a cabo en el condado de San Bernardino dirigido por Christine Davidson de UCCE y el Programa Ampliado de Educación sobre Alimentos y Nutrición (EFNEP, por sus siglas en inglés) que movilizó a un equipo de voluntarios de este último programa y de Maestro de Jardineros y Maestros Conservadores de Alimentos de UC para educar a familias en comunidades en desventaja a través de una serie de talleres prácticos.
Estos esfuerzos fueron financiados por el Programa de Pequeños Subsidios del Programa de Investigación y Educaciónen Agricultura Sustentable de UC, el cual apoya la creación de sistemas alimentarios sustentables en las comunidades.
Las participantes también asistieron a talleres del Programa Maestro de Jardineros para aprender a cultivar verduras en sus huertos familiares y preparar abono o composta con desperdicios de comida. El Programa Maestros Conservadores de Alimentos de UC también dijo presente en este proyecto enseñando a los participantes a preparar recetas saludables y preservar alimentos de manera segura con un enfoque en reducir el desperdicio de comida.
Por otro lado, 220 niños pertenecientes a dos escuelas asistieron a la serie de lecciones de EFNEP y un taller donde aprendieron a hacer composta con gusanos o en un frasco. “A los estudiantes le encantan las actividades prácticas y con estos conocimientos pueden participar en la producción de abono con desperdicios de comida en casa”, manifestó Davidson. “Fue especialmente satisfactorio enseñarles a los estudiantes de kinder sobre compostaje pues fue un concepto nuevo para ellos”.
El subsidio de SAREP aportó fondos para la compra de material y los kits o paquetes que padres y niños se llevaron a casa para aplicar sus nuevos conocimientos en la preparación de diferentes ensaladas y consomé de sobras de verduras, para cultivar huertos de hierbas y hacer composta en casa. Los kits son un excelente incentivo para que las personas asistan
Con una mejor planeación de comidas y el almacenamiento apropiado de alimentos, las familias pueden ahorrar comida y dinero. “Yo he empezado a guardar las sobras para preparar un consomé de verduras que uso para cocinar arroz. A mis hijos le encanta colectar las sobras y eso ahorra dinero al comprar el consomé”, dijo uno de los padres de la primaria Bradley de San Bernardino.
Además, a las familias se les educa sobre la reducción de desperdicios orgánicos requerida por el Proyecto de Ley del Senado 1383 y lo que pueden hacer para reducir el desperdicio de comida.
El producto final del proyecto financiado por SAREP será el Kit de Herramientas para el Taller para Prevenir el Desperdicio de Alimentos en español e inglés que será compartido ampliamente y entregado en los talleres de UC ANR por el personal y voluntarios en otros condados. “Nuestro objetivo más allá de proporcionar estos materiales para apoyar a nuestra comunidad es ayudar a incrementar su uso en todo UC ANR para que más familias puedan beneficiarse de ellos”, mencionó Davidson.
Subsidios pequeños, un gran impacto
Entre las prioridades de financiación del Programa de Pequeños Subsidios se incluyen a granjeros, rancheros y administradores de tierras en la adopción de prácticas regenerativas del medioambiente y asociarse con comunidades rurales, urbanas y tribales para expandir el acceso a alimentos producidos de manera saludable, sustentable y promover el bienestar de la comunidad.
“El Programa de Pequeños Subsidios es una parte importante de nuestra misión”, indicó Ruth Dahlquist-Willard, directora interina de UC SAREP, un programa de la División de Agricultura y Recursos Naturales de UC. “Los resultados del programa muestran que una pequeña inversión financiera puede tener un impacto grande en el mejoramiento de las vidas de los californianos”.
Este artículo es parte de una serie acerca del impacto del Programa de Pequeños Subsidios de UC SAREP. Para apoyar este programa, por favor haga sus donativos aquí. Elija el Programa de Pequeños Subsidios de SAREP para que sea asignado a este programa.
Adaptado al español por Leticia Irigoyen del artículo en inglés. Editado para su publicación por Diana Cervantes
Nutrition Policy Institute Director Dr. Lorrene Ritchie presents at the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, SNEB, 2024 international conference. This year's international conference, themed “Understanding Foodways: Learning, Growing, and Sustaining,” will highlight the reasons why we eat the foods we eat and the impacts of those choices on ourselves and our communities. The SNEB conference takes place at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and through a virtual livestream from July 29th through August 1st, 2024. Lorrene Ritchie participates in a session on August 1, 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET titled “Food Waste Reduction Efforts: The Intersection of Food Ways, Climate Change, and Human Health,” along with Sara Elkbakib and Yu Meng. Additionally, Ritchie presents a poster on July 31, 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET titled “Boosting the Benefits of WIC: Exploring Participant Perspectives from the 2023 Multi-State WIC Survey;” co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee and Celeste Felix as well as Georgia Machell, and Loan Kim. Ritchie is one member of the team for an additional poster presentation on July 31, 4:30-5:30 p.m. EST titled “Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Reimbursement Rates and Program Participation by Family Child Care Homes in California,” presented by Susana Matias of UC Berkeley's Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology Department, and co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee, Kassandra Bacon, and Celeste Felix, and CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale. Furthermore, Ritchie gives an oral presentation on July 31, 2:30-3:15 p.m. ET titled “Impact of Increased Child and Adult Care Food Program Reimbursement Rates for Family Child Care Home Providers in California,” co-authored by NPI's Danielle Lee, Kassandra Bacon, and Celeste Felix, CACFP Roundtable's Samantha Kay-Daleiden Marshall and Elyse Homel Vitale, and UC Berkeley's Susana Matias. Lastly, Ritchie speaks on July 31, 3:30-4:30 p.m. ET and a subsequent invited poster presentation on August 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m. ET titled “Transition to freshly prepared school meals: impact of meal appeal student participation, intake, food and packaging waste & school finance,” co-authored by NPI's Celeste Felix, Danielle Lee, and Wendi Gosliner, as well as UC Berkeley School of Public Health's Hannah Thompson, Caroline Nguyen, and Kris Madsen.