- (Focus Area) Natural Resources
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Eight members of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group (ABGG) who are active in The Ethogram will present a special outreach program, "Animal Behavior for Young Explorers," from 2:30 to 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 19 in the Blanchard Room of the Mary L. Stephens branch of the Davis Library, 315 E. 14th Street, Davis.
It's a free, hands-on, science-communication event intended for the age group of kindergarten through eighth grade. As young explorers, they will learn why animals behave the way they do.
“There will be living and pinned animal specimens (including insects), trivia games with winners receiving small prizes, arts and crafts, and books to peruse on animal behavior," said Nicole Keough, a PhD candidate in the Brian Johnson lab, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a member of ABGG. She's an editor of The Ethogram, which is ABGG's official blog. Graduate students founded it in 2014.
Attendees at the Aug. 19th event can ask scientists questions about animal behavior research. A scientist-led bird walk around the Community Park is planned, weather permitting. Keough said the displays will range from her live termites to kittens. As a doctoral candidate in the Johnson bee lab, she is interested in eusociality, host-microbe symbiosis, and social behavior. Her research focuses on "exploring the relationship between termites and their gut microbiome in the context of termite social hygienic behaviors such as allogrooming and cannibalism. Using genetic sequencing, she investigates this symbiotic relationship and identify endosymbionts with overlapping roles in termite nutrition."
ABGG also will show insect specimens from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, as well as live insects, including Madagascar hissing cockroaches and walking sticks, from the Bohart petting zoo.
Hosts at the Aug. 19th event will include:
- Isabelle McDonald-Gilmartin, PhD candidate and editor-in-chief of The Ethogram
- Nicole Keough, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
- Siobhan Calhoun, PhD student and editor for The Ethogram
- Nicole Rodrigues, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
- Sabrina Mederos, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
- Jessica Schaefer, PhD candidate and editor for The Ethogram
- Kirsten Sheehy, PhD candidate and editor emeritus of The Ethogram
- Dr. Josephine Hubbard, editor emeritus of The Ethogram
- Hee Jin Chung, PhD candidate and co-chair of the Animal Behavior Graduate Group Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
This is a one-time event but plans may call for more outreach programs, depending on the interest, Keough said.
What is an ethogram? "Ethogram is a list or catalogue of behaviors that are being studied in animal behavior research (also known as ethology)," according to The Ethogram website. "The aim is to make scientific topics and findings more accessible to non-scientists through articles, videos, and other multimedia communication."
"The Ethogram encourages interaction between scientists and non-scientists in order to spark curiosity and passion for the study of animal behavior and general scientific research," the message continues. "Our mission is to create a platform that allows scientists to disseminate their research in approachable and exciting ways. In doing so, we also aim to train the next generation of science communicators. Using diverse narratives of animals and those who study them, we provide accessible scientific information through a variety of media types, from text to sketch to video."
Meanwhile, be sure to explore the writings and illustrations on The Ethogram blog.
Here are two of the insect sketches:
- The Honey Bee, by Nicole Rodrigues, a PhD candidate in the Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology program.
- The Bumble Bee, by Danielle Rutkowski of the Rachel Vannette and Rick Karban labs, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. She received her doctorate in June.
Also, Ethogram maintains an Instagram account.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Photographers call the first hour after dawn and the last hour before dusk "The Golden Hour."
That's when the sunlight is softer and warmer.
It's also called "The Magic Hour."
Compare that to high noon, when the sun casts such strong highlights and shadows on the subject that even images of Miss Universe and Miss America look harsh.
Now if you photograph a golden honey bee during The Golden Hour, the world looks even warmer and softer.
But use the term, Golden Hour, figuratively. As Wikipedia explains: "The term hour is used figuratively; the effect has no clearly defined duration and varies according to season and latitude. The character of the lighting is determined by the sun's altitude, and the time for the sun to move from the horizon to a specified altitude depends on a location's latitude and the time of year. In Los Angeles, California, at an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset, the sun has an altitude of about 10–12°. For a location closer to the Equator, the same altitude is reached in less than an hour, and for a location farther from the equator, the altitude is reached in more than one hour. For a location sufficiently far from the equator, the sun may not reach an altitude of 10°, and the golden hour lasts for the entire day in certain seasons."
The honey bee (below), foraging on a blanket flower, Gaillardia, couldn't discuss Golden Hours, seasons, latitude and longitude with you. But she knows how to return to her colony (which could be five miles away) and how to communicate with the other bees. And that, too, is Golden.
Welcome to the Organic Materials Management Blog! This is a place for sharing science and policy information on finding valuable uses for organic wastes in California. It's a blog so I will be a bit informal here, at least compared to refereed journal articles. I plan to include some descriptions of my projects as they develop, as well as news and technical information. I plan to write about topics as I confront them, or as they occur to me.
Now let's get busy. There is a lot to do.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Yes!
That was the scene at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Annual Children's Party, held Thursday morning, Aug. 8 in the museum courtyard on Buck Avenue.
The event, open to children ages 3 and 9, drew a capacity crowd. One of the highlights was The Honey Bee, with a smile as wide as the Sacramento River.
Inside the smiling bee costume was Dr. George Stock (retired physician), who practiced in the Fairfield/Vacaville area for more more than 30 years. A native Californian, he was born and raised in San Diego.
He lives in Vacaville with his life partner, Debbie, for 40-plus years, and "two dogs that changed our lives." He describes himself as a "Sierra hiker, itinerant gardener and wine aficionado."
And now, a honey bee. "Dr. George" handed out honey sticks donated by "Queen Bee" Amelia Harris of the Z Food Specialty/The Hive, Woodland, retired director of the UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center. He stood near a bee observation hive displayed by beekeeper Ettamarie Peterson of Petaluma, known fondly as "The Queen Bee of Sonoma County." A retired teacher, she is a past president of the Sonoma County Beekeepers' Association and is a longtime beekeeping leader with the Liberty 4-H Club.
"That was fun," Dr. George said. "I think the Mickey Mouse/Disney routine worked well. Don't say much, dance and wave your hands, pat ‘em on the head, hold still for photo ops. Thank you for this opportunity." Vacaville residents Pamela King and Diana McLaughlin co-chaired the event, themed "Fun on the Farm."
The California Master Beekeeper Program, directed by associate professor of Cooperative Extension Elina Niño, based in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, loaned the costume to the Vacaville Museum Guild for the day. The Bee has appeared at special events, including the annual California Honey Festival in Woodland.
And now at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party, where there was a doctor in the house, the courtyard and in the bee costume.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
But today we're celebrating International Monarch Caterpillar Day as well, because it's the right thing to do. Now, more than ever, we need ways to help and protect monarchs.
If you have a kitty, every day is International Cat Day. Monarchs? Well, there are:
- National Start-Seeing-Monarchs Day: The first Saturday in May
- Monarch Butterfly Day: May 18
- Monarch Blitz: July 26–Aug. 4, an event to raise awareness and support monarch butterfly conservation
- National Endangered Species Day: Monarch Butterflies: Aug. 3
Our tuxedo cat, Xena the Warrior Princess (2000-2016), sported a butterfly-shaped marking on her leg, and regularly checked out the monarch butterflies that fluttered through out pollinator garden. Once I photographed her looking intently at a monarch butterfly. What are you? What are you doing? Are you okay?
Xena was just curious, just being more princess than warrior.
Felis catus and Danaus plexippus. One purrs. One flutters. One breaks our heart when it crosses the Rainbow Bridge. The other plays a vital role in the ecosystem that we're trying to protect. Monarchs boldly lift our spirits, symbolizing hope, rebirth and transformation.