So you're thinking you're putting on a little weight during the holidays.

Not to worry. Put it all in perspective by thinking about the larvae of the honey bee.

Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, likes to talk about the massive weight gain that occurs during the larval stage of the honey bee. He speaks at scores of beekeeping functions throughout the year and what he says about the larval weight gain always draws a "Wow!" or "Incredible!" or "Amazing!"

"A honey bee egg weighs about 0.1 mg," Mussen says. "The first stage larva weighs the same.  Over the next six days of larval life the larva goes from 0.1 mg to around 120 mg.  It defecates once, just before pupating, and the resulting adult bee weighs around 110 mg.  Thus, the new bee weighs about 1,000 times the weight of the one-day-old larva."

Now get this:

"If a human baby, weighing eight pounds at birth, were to grow at the same rate, the baby would weigh 8,000 pounds, or 4 tons, at the end of six days."

Four tons in six days? Fortunately, what goes on with Apis mellifera does not apply to Homo sapiens.

Now go get that second helping of pumpkin pie.

As for Mussen, he quips: "I only feel that heavy some days!"

Our Artemisia, a silvery-leafed shrub bordering our bee friendly garden, looks quite orange and black these days.

It's not for lack of water or some exotic disease. It's the ladybug (aka lady beetle) population.

If you look closely, you'll see eggs, larvae and pupae and the adults.  And if you look even more closely, you'll see aphids.

The predator and the prey.

Bon appetit!

The spring growing conditions have been responsible for several problems that affected head lettuce in coastal California. Rain and cold temperatures have allowed significant development of bacterial leaf spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians) and a physiological disorder possibly related to tipburn. In addition, recent samples, received by UC Cooperative Extension, have been infested by an insect. Field personnel and pest control advisors have also been detecting this problem.

Underneath the wrapper leaves, inner layers are being fed upon by the larval stage (maggot) of a fly insect. Damage consists of holes and breaks in the leaves where the maggot has been feeding (photos 1, 2, 3).

Photo 1

 

Photo 2

Photo 3

Edges of the damaged areas turn tan to brown. Such feeding damage can occur anywhere along the leaf and midrib tissue. Careful examination of the inner leaves will likely reveal the presence of the maggot (photo 4) and/or the pupa (photo 5). Maggots are small (approximately 7 mm (1/10^th inch) long) and pale in color.

Photo 4

Photo 5

The insect damage, which consists of actual holes in the tissue, is distinct from the physiological problem that typically does not result in breaks in the leaf and which is usually restricted to the leaf margins. The bacterial leaf spot disease affects mostly outer leaves and results in characteristically black lesions.

Identification of the fly is pending and Entomology Farm Advisor Jianlong Bi will be investigating this further.