Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator of the Bohart, created the first Maggot Art as an example of what folks can do. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

You pick up a maggot with a forceps, dip it into a non-toxic, water-based paint, drop it (gently) on a white paper, and let it crawl around, or guide it. Voila! Maggot Art!

It's a conversation piece. It's suitable for framing. And, it could make a good gift card--or at least a temporary spot on your refrigerator door.

The Bohart Museum of Entomology's recent open house featured Maggot Art as the family arts-and-crafts activity.  The open house, themed  "Forensics and Insects," spotlighted UC Davis forensic entomologist Robert "Bob" Kimsey of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. (See Bug Squad blog)

Maggot Art began on the UC Davis campus, at Briggs Hall, in the early 2000s as part of the annual UC Davis Picnic Day celebration. The Entomology Graduate Student Association and the Department of Entomology and Nematology coordinate the entomological activities.

Rebecca O'Flaherty, a former graduate student of UC Davis forensic entomologist Kimsey's, coined the educational teaching curriculum,  "Maggot Art," back in 2001 when she was studying at the University of Hawaii. She was rearing blowflies for her forensic research and wanted an activity to draw the interest of elementary school students.  She also wanted to generate interest and respect for forensic entomology. 

Maggots, Calliphora vacinia (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In Maggot Art, who is the artist? Do the maggots, Calliphora vacinia, own the copyright, or do the two-legged participants? 

Maybe both? The artist picks the colors and guides the maggots.

Want to do Maggot Art? Mark your calendar for the next UC Davis Picnic Day. It's Saturday, April 20. Entomological activities are in Briggs Hall and the Bohart Museum; Maggot Art is only at Briggs. If you access the Picnic Day website, you'll learn the days, hours,  minutes and seconds remaining until the much-anticipated event.

The next open house at the Bohart Museum is "Night at the Museum" (Moth Night) from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. All open houses are free and family friendly, and parking, too, is free.

The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens. It also maintains a live "petting zoo" (Madagascar hissing cockroaches, walking sticks, tarantulas and more) and an insect-themed gift shop, stocked with t-shirts, hoodies, jewelry, posters, books, pens and collecting equipment.

The Bohart Museum is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus. The insect museum is open to the public (walk-ins) only on Tuesdays from 2 to 5 p.m., this summer, now effective. This is due to the high number of outreach programs, summer camps, scheduled tours and unavailability of staff. More information is available on the website or by emailing bmuseum@ucdavis.edu.

Forensic entomologist Bob Kimsey discusses the life cycle of a blow fly. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

He told the villagers to line up in town square with their sickles. When they did, he immediately fingered the killer. The killer confessed.

How did Song Ci know? Because minute traces of blood left on the "cleaned" sickle drew a swarm of blow flies.

That was one of the stories that UC Davis forensic entomologist Robert "Bob" Kimsey of the Department of Entomology and Nematology recounted in his 45-minute talk during the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house on "Forensics and Insects."

Song Ci, also a judge, physician, anthropologist and writer, went on to author the book, Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified, containing the oldest known cases of forensic entomology.

In his presentation, Kimsey discussed the life cycle and development of blow flies and other insects. He is frequently called as a expert court witness at murder trials.

"Correct species identification is all important," said Kimsey, aka "Dr. Bob," in noting that different species have different development rates. He compared the life cycle of four species--Cochliomyia macellaria (secondary screwworm), Chrysoma rufifacies (a blow fly species), Phomia regina (a black blow fly), and Lucilia sericata (a common green bottle fly)--developing at a temperature of 27 Celsius.  C. macellaria is the fastest and P. regina is the slowest, he said.

Kimsey also showed a chart illustrating the approximate age of a blow fly developing during a temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Another chart included information on the succession of arthropod taxa on carrion.

Following his talk, held in the nearby Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology lecture room, Kimsey fielded questions in his "Dr. Death booth" in the Bohart Museum. He annually portrays Dr. Death at Briggs Hall during the annual campuswide UC Davis Picnic Day every April. 

At the open house, the Bohart Museum displayed a number of species involved in forensic entomology, including

• Acalyptrate flies, numerous and diverse families, scavenging maggots
• Bluebottle flies, family Calliphoridae, scavenging maggots
• Green bottle flies, family Calliphoridae, scavenging maggots
• Large carrion, or burying beetles, family Silphidae
• Flesh flies, family Sarchophagidae, scavenging maggots
• Coffin flies, family Phoridae, scavenging maggots
• Clown or hister beetles, family Histeridae, predaceous beetles
• Red-legged ham beetle, family Cleridae, omnivorous predators that also scavenge
• Sap beetles, family Nitidulidae, "indirect" scavenge beetles
• Cockroaches, order Blattodea, scavenging larvae and adults
• Rove beetles, family Staphylinidae, predaceous beetles and their larvae
• Termites, infraorder Isoptera, scavengers for nitrogen
• Ants, family Formicidae, predators and scavengers

A green bottle fly, family Calliphoridae. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ants: "Ants are a nightmare for the forensic entomologist! They are of little use as evidence as yet, but they can easily confound the development of vital evidence by establishing residency and defending the decedent from other scavengers, and further delay development of vital evidence by carrying off fly eggs and small maggots. Thus, they can delay progress of insect-mediated decomposition and feed vital evidence to their developing larval ants: the first, thus oldest and most important maggot cohorts (to the forensic entomologist)! They also ambush, kill and dismember female flies coming to the decedent to lay eggs."

Green Bottle Flies: "Green bottle flies are iridescent green in color. They belong to the genus Lucilia and comprise some of the most common flies with maggots that feed on carrion. A number of species, including the green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata, and the bronze bottle fly, Lucilia cuprina, have been introduced worldwide by human commerce, and the later, also known as the Australian sheep blow fly, commonly infests living sheep in Australia, causing enormous economic damage."

Termites: "In other parts of the world, insects exotic to what we in the temperate zones consider to be the standard groups associated with carrion, assist in the decomposition process. Termites in Central America exemplify such 'exotics' to decomposition, building mud casings over and defending carrion against all comers in an effort to garner nitrogenous materials to supplement their extremely nitrogen-poor diet."

Clown or Hister Beetles: "Distinctively shiny black and resembling a pill, these small to very small beetles feed on a great diversity of small arthropods found in carrion, including the smallest stages of maggots, fly eggs and scavenger or predaceous mites. Active at night, the numerous carrion-associated species appear in nearly all stages of decomposition, often specializing on prey found only in a particular stage.

Flesh Flies: "This very large family consists of large robust scavenger species and small species that parasitize other insects. The scavengers, Sarchophaga and Blaesozipha, frequently do not usually lay eggs but frequently deposit a small number of first-stage maggots on carrion, which puts their maggots at a distinct advantage over maggots of egg-laying species."

Cockroaches: "A number of cockroach species found around the house (peridomestic) will gnaw on the skin of decedents indoors during the early fresh stage of decomposition. They are well known to chew on the calluses, clean debris from under the fingernails and around the toes of sleeping sailors on ancient sailing ships right through to the current day. This kind of depredation occurs in circumstances of overwhelming cockroach infestations. In similar circumstances, they are also responsible for chewing on the ears and eyelashes of newborn infants in cases of child neglect."

The family art-and-crafts activity involved maggot-inspired art.  Participants dipped maggots in non-toxic, water-based paint and guided them on white paper to create their masterpieces, suitable for framing or at least as conversation pieces. (Photos to appear in June 9th Bug Squad blog)

The next open house at the Bohart Museum is "Night at the Museum" (Moth Night) from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. All open houses are free and family friendly, and parking, too, is free.

The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens. It also maintains a live "petting zoo" (Madagascar hissing cockroaches, walking sticks, tarantulas and more) and an insect-themed gift shop, stocked with t-shirts, hoodies, jewelry, posters, books, pens and collecting equipment.

The Bohart Museum is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus. The Bohart will be open to the public (walk-ins) only on Tuesdays from 2 to 5 p.m., this summer, starting June 13. This is due to the high number of outreach programs, summer camps, scheduled tours and unavailability of staff. More information is available on the website or by emailing bmuseum@ucdavis.edu.

Professor Chiu's outside interests include spending time with her two Golden Retrievers, Oliver (shown) and Kaia, and her Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Phoebe.

Professor Chiu is the newly announced faculty recipient of the 2023 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research.  

The three-pronged Chancellor's Award, launched in 1994, annually honors three outstanding mentors: a graduate student; a postdoctoral fellow or project scientist; and a faculty member.

Chiu, who joined the faculty in 2010, focuses her research on the molecular and cellular biology of circadian rhythms and seasonal rhythms.

Doctoral candidate Christine Tabuloc of the Chiu lab--she'll be receiving her PhD this month--nominated her for the award. Five Chiu lab alumni submitted a group letter of recommendation. (See more on Department of Entomology and Nematology website.)

A native of Hong Kong and a first-generation college student, Joanna received her bachelor's degree in biology and music from Mount Holyoke College, Mass., and her doctorate in molecular genetics in 2004 from New York University, New York. She trained as a postdoctoral fellow from 2004 to 2010 in molecular chronobiology at the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.

Chiu joined the Department of Entomology and Nematology in 2010 as an assistant professor, and advanced to associate professor and vice Chair in 2016, and to professor and vice chair in 2021. She was named one of 10 UC Davis Chancellor's Fellows in 2019, a five-year honor awarded to associate professors who excel in research and teaching. The UC Davis Academic Senate honored her with a Distinguished Teaching Award, Graduate/Professional category, in 2022.

Chiu co-founded and co-directs (with Professors Jay Rosenheim and Louie Yang) the campuswide Research Scholars Program in Insect Biology, launched in 2011 to provide undergraduates with a closely mentored research experience in biology. The program's goal is to provide academically strong and highly motivated undergraduates with a multi-year research experience that cultivates skills that will prepare them for a career in biological research.

Joanna Chiu, professor and vice chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What sparked your interest in science and in your field? 

"I grew up not knowing any scientists. Both my parents work in the financial industry and neither went to college. However, my dad loves the outdoors and my childhood memories includessnorkeling with my dad and siblings, hiking in the very limited outdoors in my nativeHong Kong, and watching a lot of National Geographic on TV. As a result, I have always been curious about biology, especially animal behavior.  I really hoped to study biology in college. My parents, on the other hand, wanted me to be a doctor."

"In a way, maybe to try to escape from their expectations to be a doctor, I applied to attend college in the U.S.. far away from home so I can choose to study what I want. I did not know that research can be a career and I certainly have never ever dreamed of being a professor when I was a college student. I just know I love biological research so I can learn more about the natural world, I love asking questions, and I love the joy of discovery."

"In terms of my lab research focus in animal circadian rhythms, I first learned about this field of research in graduate school from my professors Justin Blau and Todd Holmes at New York University. I learned from them the extensive influence of internal biological clocks on animal physiology and behavior, and I have been hooked since."

What is your teaching/mentoring philosophy?

"As a first-generation college student and U.S. immigrant, I am familiar with the challenges faced by those who pursue a  STEM career without a robust support system. This is why I value every opportunity to contribute to teaching and mentoring of diverse scientists and to create a safe space for them to learn and grow. Every student is different so I strive to provide tailored mentoring based on a trainee's learning style and career goals. It is obviously important for my trainees to learn about the scientific process, technical skills necessary for them to complete their research, and the subject matter relevant to their research project. But I feel that it is just as important or perhaps even more important for me to mentor them during their time in my lab so that they can learn about themselves and their career/life goals. I don't mentor my students so that they can all be like me; I guide them so that they can find their own paths."

Professor Gloria Coruzzi

Professor Isaac Edery

Favorite teachers/mentors you admire?

She admires many teachers/mentors. "One of them is certainly my graduate advisor Professor Gloria Coruzzi. She is not only a very successful scientist, she is also one of the most determined and resilient person I have ever met. To be honest, I don't think I fully appreciated many of the lessons I learned from her until I started my own research program."

"My postdoctoral advisor Isaac Edery is another mentor I admire; he has incredible patience as a mentor and he was the person who made me understand teaching/mentoring is definitely not one size fits all. He is certainly one of the kindest persons I have met."

What are some of your outside interests?

"Outside of my research and my job, I really enjoy spending time with my dogs (Oliver and Kaia are Golden Retrievers and Phoebe is a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever). We do conformation, scentwork, obedience, dock diving, retriever training, and are starting to train in agility. I love to learn how to communicate with my dogs through all these activities. They all have different personalities. I also love going to competition and trials with them, meeting other dogs and owners; I really enjoy the camaraderie and we cheer each other on."

The English lavender drew her in.

And there she was, a yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging in our family's pollinator garden in Vacaville.

She buzzed from blossom to blossom, ignoring the honey bees, syrphid flies and...the photographer.

Ms. Bumble Bee was on a morning mission--to gather as much nectar as quickly as possible and return to her colony.

Sadly, this year bumble bees in our pollinator garden seem to be as "scarce as hen's teeth." (Since hens have no teeth, hens' teeth are so scarce as to be non-existent!)

This Bombus arrived June 4 and we haven't seen any since.

“Bumble bees provide an important ecological service--pollination," native bee expert Robbin Thorp (1933-2019),  UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor of entomology, told us. "This service is critical to reproduction of a huge diversity of plants that in turn provide shelter, food (seeds, fruits) to diverse wildlife. The potential cascade of effects from the removal of even one localized pollinator may affect us directly and indirectly.”

In his retirement, Professor Thorp co-authored  Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide (Princeton University, 2014) and California Bees and Blooms: A Guide for Gardeners and Naturalists (Heyday, 2014).