- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
He's a male Mantis religiosa, as slim as a string bean, and scanning his environment.
We're accustomed to seeing see the native Stagmomantis limbata in our garden, and not M. religiosa, the European mantis, which is found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.
"Males are often found to be more active and agile, whereas females are physically more powerful," according to Wikipedia. "Adult females are generally too large and heavy for their wings to enable a take-off...The great variation in the coloration of M. religiosa from different shades of yellow, brown, green, and sometimes black has been the cause of numerous hypotheses and studies for over 100 years.However, no generally accepted answer about reason, benefit, or mechanism of the coloration or the change of coloration has been found."
The male is apparently quite good at avoiding sexual cannibalism during mating. Wikipedia says: "Instead of just observing them, sexually mature males approach sexually mature females when they see them, but due to the physical superiority of the females, males of M. religiosa face certain challenges in doing so. When a female spots a male, she is very likely to attack and kill him (see also: Sexual cannibalism). Therefore, males can be observed to be very slow and cautious in their approach; after spotting a female, the male usually freezes and turns his head to look directly at her. Since the foveae in his eyes face directly forwards, he has the most accurate and detailed view of her and can watch every one of her moves. He then proceeds to approach her from behind. Males can be observed to stop as soon as the female turns her head or even moves. Mantids are very good at detecting moving structures, but are almost unable to see immobile objects. Using this ‘stop-and-go' tactic, the male stalks closer to the female. This can often take several hours. Depending on the environment, males sometimes show a light ‘rocking'-behavior which is believed to imitate the leaves of surrounding plants to blend in with the background. Males doing this had no higher probability of being detected and attacked, which supports this hypothesis of concealment."
We asked praying mantis scientist Lohit Garikipati about this European species. He holds a bachelor's degree from UC Davis and a master's degree from Towson University, Md., and is now PhD-bound at the Richard Gilder Graduate School in the American Museum of Natural History in the Jessica Ware lab.
"In my time at Davis I observationally did--they hold a special place for me as they were the first species that ever kept and raised in captivity!" said Garikapti, who shared his mantises and expertise at the Bohart Museum of Entomology open houses. "But they also highlighted to me the potential impact of invasive species on both native mantis species but also prey populations--as low foliage and ground dwelling predators, they have a different niche from S. limbata, and may be contributing to the decline of native Litaneutria (even as they have for the California mantis, Stagmomantis wheelerii). Adult females have also been observed feeding on fence lizards, without much apparent effort as they can take lizards even larger than they are. All of these factors combined with their cryptic ooth (ootheca) deposition and large clutch size have made them one of the most if not the most successful mantis species on the planet - they tolerate both cold and hot climates being found in deserts to temperate forests and now have a Holarctic distribution."
Garikipati related that in the Ware lab, he will be "investigating the evolutionary relationships of praying mantises and what drove their diversity."
We look forward to hearing more from Lohit! As for our buddy, the male M. religiosa, he took flight. (See video on YouTube).
- Author: Luis A Espino
In the last two weeks, I visited a couple of fields suspected of having blast. After looking at the symptoms and the distribution of the lesions in the field, we determined that the injury we were observing was most likely due to herbicide burn. When blast lesions coalesce, they can look a lot like herbicide burn, but with blast you will find some of the typical diamond shape lesions. Also, when blast results in burned holes, you will find a lot of blast lesions around the hole that decrease in density as you move away from the hole.
Herbicide burn that can be confused with blast |
Typical blast diamond shaped lesions |
I have not seen blast lesions this year yet. Looking at leaf wetness and temperature at the field level, we had some good conditions for blast around July 20. This is only an approximation and does not necessarily mean that we will see blast. Remember that two more things are needed to see infections: a susceptible host and the pathogen. Most of our varieties are susceptible, with only M-210 being resistant. At this point we do not have a way to monitor for the presence of the pathogen in the Valley other than by detecting infected fields.
Hours of leaf wetness (LW) required for infection (blue line) and total hours of leaf wetness (orage line). When the orange line intercepts or is higher than the blue, there is enough hours of leaf wetness for blast infection.
I'll keep monitoring and let you know if I see blast in the field.
/table>The UC Master Gardener Program 2024 Reappointment window has now closed! Per the UCCE Master Gardener Program Administrative Handbook the reappointment window Jun. 1, 2024 - July 31, 2024
At this stage, we begin:
- Notifying volunteers who have not completed reappointment of a forthcoming change intheirstatus
- from Active or Limited Active to Inactive-Resigned
- from Active or Limited Active to Honorary
- Collecting insurance payments (at a rate of $6.00 per volunteer)
- Preparing to receive an invoice from the statewide office requesting recharge for insurance payments made on behalf of the county program (at a rate of $6.00 per volunteer)
Reappointment Guides and Templates
Help documentation and training resources, including Step-by-Step Guides to Reappointment and Template Letters to Inactive-Resigned volunteers, can be found on the UC Master Gardener Coordinator website's Reappointment page.
Insurance Invoices
We recommend blocking out a few hours through the end of August 2024 to ensure that your reappointment is complete and that insurance fees are properly submitted to the UC Master Gardener Program statewide office. Counties will receive insurance billing information beginning the first week of August. Insurance payments will draw from recharge account numbers provided by coordinators. This year, we are working with new account strings. Please be prepared to verify the account string on your invoice using this KFS to AE Account Look-Up file prepared by BOC. Alternatively, checks can be made payable to UC Regents.
/span>/h3>/h3>/span>Dear University of California Community,
I have informed UC Board of Regents Chair Janet Reilly that I will step down from my role as president at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. My plan is to take a sabbatical, after which I will return to the faculty.
My time with the University of California began five decades ago as a medical student at UC San Francisco. In every role since then — as a practicing physician, a faculty member, a research scientist, and an administrative leader — I have been privileged to be part of a community that champions excellence and opportunity, the pursuit of new knowledge, and public service on behalf of Californians and people everywhere.
I am immensely proud of what our students, faculty, and staff have accomplished these past several years. You have weathered a global pandemic and historic natural disasters, dealt with international conflict and domestic political uncertainty, navigated the stresses and opportunities of daily life, all while making our University stronger, more resilient, more impactful, and more inclusive than ever before. It has been my honor to serve as your president.
Over the next year, we will continue the work that we have focused on during my tenure. That includes expanding student support and creating paths to a debt-free UC education, ensuring that more California students can reap the benefits of a UC degree, building on the University's academic and research excellence, and working to promote a safe and respectful community that fosters a free exchange of ideas.
On a personal note, Brenda and I have been touched and humbled by the expressions of gratitude, encouragement, and support we have received from thousands of you over these many years. Thank you very much.
Fiat Lux!
Michael V. Drake
President of the University of California
- 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/.
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