Emily Bzdyk, who holds a master's degree in entomology from UC Davis, is making national headlines, but not about insects this time.

Bzdyk is garnering widespread news coverage for discovering a 15-million-year-old dolphin skull along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County, Maryland.

Bzdyk, a volunteer at the Calvert Marine Museum on Solomons Island, said she was combing the shores along the Calvert Cliffs on Saturday, Aug. 5, when she noticed what appeared to be a two-foot-long fossil bone in the shallow water.

It turned out to be a fossil from the Miocene Epoch, the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period. The Miocene epoch extends from about 23.03 to 5.333 million years ago.

Stephen Groff, manager of the Calvert Marine Museum's fossil collection, described it as “a really impressive find,” noting that “it's rare to find a skull in such good condition.”

Bzdyk estimated it will probably take a few months for her to clean the silt and clay from the fossil and prepare it for permanent public display at the museum. Visitors to the museum (open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) are watching her clean the fossil.

“I've been fossil hunting for about a year and a half and I have thousands of shark teeth and other things in my collection,” said Bzdyk, who received her master's degree in entomology from UC Davis in 2012, studying with UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology. At UC Davis, "I focused on a taxonomic revision of the subgenus Litomegachile leafcutter bees with a description of a new species and a key to current species."

A native of Long Island, N.Y., Emily received her bachelor's degree in biology in 2008 from St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM), St. Mary's City, where she minored in environmental studies and studio art. Her senior thesis? A Guide to Native Plants of Historic St. Mary's City, which she also illustrated.

Bzdyk returned to SMCM in 2016 as a visiting instructor of biology. She served as an adjunct faculty member until May 2019.

Her friends says she has an eagle eye for discoveries. She credits her entomological training with that. "Many years in entomology didn't hurt!"

NBCWashington.com headlined her fossil discovery as "Big Win: Woman Finds 15 Million-Year-Old Dolphin Skull Along Chesapeake Bay."

Mike Murillo of WTOP News, which serves the Washington, D.C., area, said that the "Dolphin fossil found in Calvert County could help 'write the books' on ancient marine mammals...It is not uncommon to find fossils from marine mammals. Dolphin skulls are typically found twice a year in southern Maryland. But this find, according to Groff, stands to be the most intact of the finds. It could also turn out to be a species that was previously not known about."

Murillo noted that "During the Miocene period, when the marine mammal swam the earth, the sea level was much higher, according to Groff. What is the beach now was once the ocean floor. Now, as the ocean is eroding away part of the beach, more fossils are being uncovered."

In addition to her interests in biology, entomology and paleontology, Bzdyk enjoys incorporating her scientific illustration and photography skills in her work.  She served as a scientific illustration intern at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2008.

Bzdyk shares her interests in her blog, "Sentimental Entomologist" (Thoughts about insects, birds, nature and life) at http://sentimentalentomologist.blogspot.com/.

In her blog profile, she describes herself as: "I have always loved insects and I studied them in graduate school. Bees, to be precise. I focused my thesis on Litomegachile, a subgenus of Megachile leafcutter bees. I discovered a new species of bee, and published one paper on these bees before I hung up my scientist hat to become a stay at home mom. But that won't stop insects from finding their way into my life."

She also maintains an Instagram account on her discoveries at https://instagram.com/hastalishunter. 

Bzdyk is a 2010 alumna of the globally recognized The Bee Course, an annual 10-day workshop sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History and held at the Southwestern Research Station, Portal, Ariz. One of her instructors was noted bee authority Robbin Thorp 1933-2019), UC Davis distinguished emeritus professor of entomology. Thorp and  Professor Neal Williams of the Department of Entomology and Nematology served on her guidance committee, along with research entomologist Tom Zavortink of the Bohart Museum.

Her husband, Troy Townsend, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at SMCM, received his doctorate in inorganic chemistry in 2013 from UC Davis. He studied biology and chemistry at SMCM, obtaining his undergraduate degree in 2007. The couple has two daughters, ages 6 and 9.

Microbiologist Shawn Christensen, a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the Rachel Vannette laboratory, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and Vannette, his major professor, were among those collaborating with the producers of KQED Science's Deep Look for its wildlife video on bindweed turret bees. 

The newly released video, titled “This Fly Torpedoes a Bindweed Bee's Nest,” appears on YouTube at https://youtu.be/gJHCoP4WqMc.

“Shawn has done a lot of work on this bee and with Deep Look, and he also leads our lab's work on Anthophora bomboides, a bumble bee mimic, and studies microbial associates of pollen and solitary bees,” said community ecologist and associate professor Rachel Vannette, a Chancellor's Fellow and vice chair of the Department of Entomology and Nematology. 

The Deep Look crew filmed the bees, Diadasia bituberculata, in a nesting area outside the UC Davis Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, near Winters. 

The bees, also known as digger bees or chimney bees, are specialists on bindweed, commonly known as morning glory.  “The females use pollen only from one plant species and are active through the late spring and early summer,” said Vannette, an international leader in microbial ecology who studies interactions between plants, insects and microbes. 

Native to California, the bindweed turret bees dig underground nests, many with structures called turrets at the nest entrance. They provision the nests with pollen for their future offspring, and then lay their eggs inside.  

The video shows a female bee fly (family Bombyliidae) hovering over a nest entrance and dropping her eggs inside. The fly eggs hatch into larvae, which eat the bee larvae. Horizontal turrets with sideways entrances (also shown in the video) prevent the flyover egg drop.

Gabriela Quirós, coordinating producer of Deep Look and producer of this video, consulted with the UC Davis scientists, obtaining information on the location of the bee nests, as well as information on the brood cells, pollen, and turrets. The Deep Look production includes UC Davis images taken inside a bee nest. 

Quirós also consulted with seven other scientists: Stephen Buchmann, University of Arizona; Andy Calderwood,Ventura County Deputy Agricultural Commissioner;  Neal Evenhuis, Bishop Museum of Honolulu, Hawaii; Paul Havemann, UC Davis Natural Reserve System; Keng-Lou James Hung,  University of Oklahoma; Doug Yanega, UC Riverside, and James Carey, a naturalist who researches and videos bindweed turret bees in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. 

Josh Cassidy, Deep Look lead producer and cinematographer, filmed all the footage except for the male bees fighting with each other (00;17;14- 00;25;22 in the video).  James Carey, who filmed that footage, “has been regularly monitoring and filming bindweed turret bees since 2016 in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, an open space in the Santa Monica Mountains,” Quirós said. “James also filmed the shot at 04;17-04;21 showing nests in the Santa Monica Mountains covered up at the end of the nesting season."

Evenhuis and Calderwood, both bee fly experts, identified the bee flies as Paravilla fulvicoma.  “Neal explained the life cycle of these bee flies and advised me on the animation,” Quirós said. Deep Look editor and motion graphics expert Kia Simon created the animation of the bee fly larva eating the bee larva. 

“How I got interested in producing an episode of Deep Look about bindweed turret bees was that Rachel Vannette told me about these bees in 2021,” Quirós related. “Rachel told me that Shawn Christensen, a doctoral student in her lab, was studying their pollen. Later, I saw on the Native Bees Facebook group, the videos that James Carey had recorded of bee flies dropping their eggs into the nests of bindweed turret bees in Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, in the Santa Monica Mountains. I hadn't known about bee flies until I saw his videos.” 

“I became interested in trying to film a video about the interactions between bee flies and bindweed turret bees. I contacted Shawn Christensen in January of this year, and Shawn and I started checking in regularly to figure out when the bindweed bees would emerge. When they finally did come out in large numbers--they were later this year than usual--we were, luckily, ready to jump into action and film an episode.” 

Quirós credited Paul Havemann, manager at the UC Davis Natural Reserve System, as instrumental in finding the filming location. “On a Sunday in early June, he clambered up the mountain at Stebbins to show me where the bees had emerged. On the way out, he told me he'd show me a parking lot where they also had emerged. The parking lot turned out to be a perfect filming location. It is very accessible and there were plenty of bees. We didn't need to haul our gear up the mountain.”

About 70 percent of the world's bee species are ground-nesting.  “Females tirelessly scoop earth with their mandibles, softening it by dousing it with nectar they collected earlier,” Deep Look related. “They work side by side, but each is /queen/ of her own castle.”

More than 4,000 species of bee flies comprise the family Bombyliidae. “How do you tell a bee fly from a bee?” Deep Look asked. “Even though bee flies have hairy bodies like bees, if you look closely, you can tell them apart. Bee flies have big eyes that cover a large area of their heads. And bee flies' antennae are short compared to bees' antennae.”

Viewers are raving about the video with such online comments as: 

• “The camera work is nothing short of amazing. Great job!” (Cassidy's photography equipment included a 100mm and 65mm macro lenses and a probe lens, a wide angle macro lens.)
• “Love the pollen pants, and I felt so bad for the bees whose hard work was spoiled by those pesky bee flies.”
• “This channel truly deserves much more recognition than it has, the amount of information and clear footage is marvelous.”
• "Thanks. It's not often I see a good short video on a native bee species or any native pollinator for that matter."

Christensen, a member of the UC Davis Microbiology Graduate Group and anticipating his doctorate in the spring of 2024, is an evolutionary biologist turned microbiologist. Christensen also researches other native bees,  including Melissodes and Colletes.

Vannette focuses her research on the chemical and microbial ecology of plant-pollinator interactions and how microbes influence plant defense and resistance against insect pests.  On its website, the Vannette lab is described as "a team of entomologists, microbiologists, chemical ecologists, and community ecologists trying to understand how microbial communities affect plants and insects--sometimes other organisms, too. We often study microbial communities in flowers, on insects or in soil. We rely on natural history observations, and use techniques from chemical ecology, microbial ecology and community ecology.  In some cases, we study applied problems  with an immediate application including pathogen control or how to support pollinators.”

Professor emerita Sharon Lawler of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology is quoted in a Pest Gnome study titled "2023's Most Vulnerable Counties for Mosquito-Borne Diseases," published Aug. 9.

The article, noting that World Mosquito Day is Aug. 20, ranks 2023's Most Vulnerable Counties to Mosquito-Borne Diseases.

"We compared nearly 800 counties based on four categories. We looked at the number of mosquito species in each state, recent cases of diseases like West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis viruses, and mosquito-friendly climate, among 12 total metrics," author Sav Maive wrote.

The 10 most vulnerable: 

• Pitt County, N.C.
• Maricopa County, Arizona
• Buncombe County, N.C.
• Brazonia County, Texas
• Liberty County, Ga.
• Jefferson County, Texas
• Knox County, Tenn.
• Cameron County, Texas
• Galveston County, Texas
• Camden County, Ga.

The group gathered data on 772 U.S.counties that reported human cases of mosquito-borne diseases from 2020 to 2022.  Then they interviewed three university faculty members from California, Florida and Texas. In addition to Lawler, they were Eva Buckner of the University of Florida and Patricia Pietrantonio of Texas A&M.

Lawler's responses:

Mosquitoes are deemed the world's deadliest animal. How concerned should Americans be about the West Nile Virus, locally transmitted malaria, or other mosquito-borne diseases?

"Americans should be moderately concerned about mosquito-borne illness, to the extent of protecting themselves from bites and preventing accumulation of stagnant water where mosquitoes breed (other than natural wetlands and ponds, which will support beneficial predators). Serious mosquito-borne illness is rare in the Continental U.S.A., thanks to public and private Mosquito Abatement organizations, and certain environmental factors. However, some warm, humid regions, like Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands are prone to outbreaks of mosquito-transmitted pathogens, such as Dengue viruses. West Nile Virus is widespread and can be harmful to those with weak immune systems. Other encephalitis-causing viruses may be more localized, but can occasionally be serious, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Malaria is only found in few places in the South, but it has some capacity to spread if mosquitoes are not controlled."

What types of environments attract mosquitoes into people's homes, and how can they be avoided?

"Puddles and other wet areas that hold water for five or more days can let mosquitoes breed, because their larvae are aquatic. Avoid over-watering such that water accumulates in ditches, empty plant saucers and anything else that collects water (old tires and similar), and drain unused pools. Treehole water can support the mosquitoes that carry heartworm to pets. A hole drilled into the base of the treehole can drain it, while still leaving habitat for nesting birds. Maintain good screens on the house."

What are your top three mosquito repellent recommendations?

"I really only have two: repellents based on DEET, and lemon-eucalyptus oil. Some botanicals other than lemon eucalyptus also work, such as geraniol, but might need to be applied more often."

What are your top three tips for managing itchiness or pain from mosquito bites?

"Prevention:  First, wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants if you can, and use repellent. If bitten, you can use a topical antihistamine, or witch hazel. A band-aid can be helpful for compulsive scratchers."

What are the most concerning symptoms from mosquito bites?

"I am not a medical doctor, so the following is not official medical advice, and should not be presented as such in any context. Most of the mosquito-borne diseases take a couple of days or more to incubate. They can cause headaches and fever. Consider consulting a medical doctor if these symptoms arise in the days after bites occur. Secondary infections caused by scratching are also concerning. These are frequently indicated by discharge, excessive swelling and pain, and sometimes red streaks near the bite."

Which animal species are most vulnerable to mosquito-borne diseases? Should pet owners be worried?

"I am also not a veterinarian, so the following is not comprehensive. Owners of some kinds of pets need to be concerned about pet exposure to mosquitoes. Heartworm is carried by mosquitoes. This can affect dogs and sometimes cats. These should be vaccinated, especially where heartworm is common (most of the USA). Horses are quite vulnerable to some of the encephalitis viruses, such as West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and should be vaccinated. Pet birds can contract West Nile virus and some of the other viruses. This often isn't serious, but young birds should be protected as they may have less immunity, and outdoor aviaries should be screened."

Lawler joined the then UC Davis Department of Entomology in 1995, retiring in January 2023.  She taught aquatic entomology and community entomology. Her research interests: Aquatic ecology, especially mosquitoes, other aquatic insects and amphibians; experimental studies of food webs and population dynamics; and ecosystem subsidy. 

Lawler chaired the Entomology and Nematology Curriculum Committee from 2017 to 2022, and served as the lead faculty advisor of the department from 2003 to 2022.  On campus, she chaired the Designated Emphasis in Biology of Vector Borne Disease (DEBVBD) from 2017 to 2020, and served on the DEBVBD Executive Committee from 2021-2022. 

Lawler holds a doctorate in ecology and evolution (1992) from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. and did postdoctoral research at the Imperial College, Silwood Park, Ascot, UK, and at the University of Kentucky, Lexington.

(Read the entire article here.)

“The Secret Life of Vineyards,” an insect-themed ceramic-mosaic mural created by a UC Davis team and recently installed at the Matthiasson Winery on Dry Creek Road, Napa,  won't be a secret much longer.

The large-scale mural, spearheaded by two faculty members/artists in the Department of Entomology and Nematology, and an artist/retired lecturer in the Department of Design, will be unveiled at an invitational celebration and unveiling on Wednesday, Aug. 16 at the Napa winery.

That's when “creators, artists, students, and volunteers will see the results of their hard, fun, and educational work creating the incredibly detailed tile mosaic mural depicting The Secret Life of Vineyards,” announced Jesse Galvan, director of hospitality for Matthiasson Wines. Special guests expected to attend include UC Davis Chancellor Gary May.

The project, fusing art with science, showcases the diversity of life in an organic vineyard ecosystem. Designing and directing the project were:  

• Distinguished professor Diane Ullman of the Department of Entomology and Nematology, who researches insect/virus/plant interactions and insect-transmitted plant pathogens
  
  
• Assistant professor Emily Meineke, an urban landscape entomologist, Department of Entomology and Nematology, who studies plant-herbivore relationships
  
  
• Professional graphic designer and retired lecturer Gale Okumura of the Department of Design, known for her design solutions in visual communications.  

Secret Life sprang to life in a spring quarter class, Entomology 001, “Art, Science and the World of Insects,” taught by Professors Ullman and Meineke. Ullman, founding co-director of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program, described the project as “a collaboration between students and instructors in ENT 001; community members from Davis, Woodland, and Napa, and Matthiasson Winery; and the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program. Gale Okumura greatly assisted with the design and also helped train students in the ceramics technique for creating their artwork.”

Said Ullman: “This project allowed students in ENT 001 to learn the intricacies of the ecosystem in organic vineyards, and the importance of insects within it.  Each student conducted their own research, learned design principles, and designed and created a piece of the mural. Along the way, they learned to collaborate with their classmates and volunteers from the community to produce a large scale, public artwork that communicates the ecology of the vineyard environment.” 

“Students had the opportunity to hear about integrated pest management from Steve Matthiasson, and to consider the role of insects as pests and as natural enemies, in the context of all the other life in the vineyard,” Ullman said. “What a great experience! Emily Meineke and I are incredibly grateful to our partner in design and fabrication of the mural, Gale Okumura, a retired lecturer from the Department of Design, and the many community members and volunteers who helped make this mural possible. The installation is unusual in that the mural is mounted inside a frame that is attached to wall, rather than being attached directly to the wall. The engineering and building of this system, as well as the installation, was done by artist Amanda Larson of Half Moon Bay. Amanda has Davis connections as she grew up here and has a master's degree from California College of the Arts in San Francisco.  We were delighted to be given this opportunity by the Matthiassons. The mural really celebrates their commitment to biodiversity and sustainability in viticulture.” 

In a joint statement, Ullman and Meineke related that the Secret Life of Vineyards “was designed to reflect the ecosystem within and around an organic vineyards as it progresses from early spring to harvest. A Cabernet Sauvignon vine is the centerpiece of the mural, shown from the first bud in the spring to harvest time in the autumn. The artworks include more than 80 arthropods (insects, spiders and centipedes), several bird species, mammals (bobcat, deer, rabbits, squirrels, a pocket gopher), a gopher snake, mycorrhizal fungi and even earthworms. The work is an ode to the importance of biodiversity and balance in the ecosystem in which wine vines are grown and reflects the passion of the Matthiasson Winery for sustainable viticulture.” 

Said Meineke: "This visual representation aims to raise awareness of a world that often goes unnoticed but is essential for maintaining the overall health of these vibrant ecosystems."

The mural, installed in June and July on an outer wall of the Matthiasson Winery Building and Tasting Area, measures 10 feet wide by six feet in height, and weighs an estimated 600 to 800 pounds. The crew packed the assembled panels "with lots of padding in an electric van from UC Davis Fleet Services and transported them to the Matthiasson Winery," Ullman said. "Each of the four panels weighed between 125 and 200 pounds."

The insects on the mural range from beneficial insects to notorious pests. They include lady beetles that feast on aphids, and the glassy-winged sharpshooters that feed on plant fluids.

The directors created a PowerPoint detailing the progression of the art work and the artists' descriptions. They include:

Harrison Ford Spider. Nicholas Nguyen a civil engineering major, depicted the Harrison Ford spider,  Calponia harrisonfordi, describedby arachnologist Norman Platnick of the American Museum of Natural History in 1993. “In real life, the spider is only around 5 millimeters and much of its biology and physiology is unknown, though it's thought to eat other spiders,” Nguyen wrote. “For the design, I incorporated Indiana Jones' hat as an homage to one of Harrison Ford's most well-known roles. The hat is subdued under the roots as if a farmhand accidentally left it there after a break out of the sun or if Indy transformed into the spider of his actor's namesake.” 

“C. harrisonfordi is the quintessential example of legacy,” Nguyen added. “The spider legacy of an archaeologist, blade runner, space smuggler and also environmentalist, activist, actor and ultimately hero, Harrison Ford.” 

American Dog Tick. Max Samuelsen, then a fourth-year biopsychology major with a “love for nature and the outdoors,” created the American dog tick, Dermacentor occidentalis. This arachnid significantly impacts vineyard ecosystem balance, serving as a food source for certain species, and indirectly aiding in pest control by feeding on and transmitting diseases to certain pest species, such as rodents. For humans, it is a vector for diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and a research subject for understanding vector-borne diseases.”  

“The design consists of the tick within magnifying glass, with the background representing the fur of the bobcat to which it is attached,” Samuelsen explained. “The ticks are usually 3 mm to 15 mm and are difficult to see with the naked eye. The tiles, stretching from the bobcat to the tick, gracefully guide one's gaze, revealing that this tick is feeding on the bobcat. This artwork showcases the interactions among wildlife in the vineyard. The mural provides a captivating visual journey vividly capturing the enchanting beauty and interdependence of the vineyard ecosystem.” 

Jerusalem Cricket. Rolando Montes, then a second-year civil engineering student, depicted the Jerusalem cricket,  Stenopelmatus fuscus,also known as “the potato bug.” It's a  scavenger that “eats fruits, plant roots, and tubulars however do tend to eat other unsuspecting insects,” Montes wrote. “The insects that they do prey on are usually those in the larva stage or wounded insects.” 

“I wanted to represent the insect scavenging for a waxworm,” Montes related. “I wanted to show that this insect appears aggressive, but also to grant visual diversity within the insect activity throughout the mural. Although many would think that the potato bug is big, clunky, and serves no purpose other than to scare people, researching the insect gave me much more insight on the importance this insect has in the environment, especially in vineyards.” 

Predator Mites. Fourth-year entomology major Amberly Hackmann said she was assigned predator mites, Typhlodromus pyri.She described the species as “a generalist predatory mite species native to several major fruit growing regions of the world including North America, Europe, and New Zealand. It is a commonly used biological control agent in orchards for the management of other pest mite species that feed on the leaves and alter the crop quality. I created this ceramic clay art piece of T. pyri enjoying the spoils of its latest conquest, a red spider mite who had been feeding on a cabernet leaf. Predatory mitesare translucent to pale yellow in color until they take their first meal. I painted the red swirl on the abdomen of the predatory mite to indicate the mite taking on the color of its prey.” 

Western Flower Thrips. Kelly Amado's project focused the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, which Professor Ullman researches. “I am a person who doesn't really know much about insects or do many arts or crafts,” Amado wrote. “I have no experience with how to paint, draw or make anything creative, but I always try my best to be creative…This insect is important because they are important pests that damage crops by feeding on the plant and laying eggs on it. They also transmit pathogenic viruses to some plant species. The design I am presenting is a grape cluster with a western flower thrips on top. I used the grape cluster mold to form the shape of the grapes. After creating the grape cluster, I started defining the grapes by adding little balls of clay. I used several techniques to build the insect and show the fringed wings that are characteristic. It is important to identify these insects and know their place in the environment as early in the season as possible in order to prevent too much damage.”  

Virginia Creeper Leafhopper. Psychology major Kayla Cabanas depicted the Virginia creeper leafhopper, Erythroneura ziczac. “This species of leafhopper is an agricultural pest that is found in vineyards, like the vineyard that this mural is displayed in,” Cabanas wrote. “In vineyards, E. ziczac feeds on the leaves of grapevines, causing damage that can lead to loss of product and economic loss. E. ziczac is of great concern to those tending the vineyard, as chemical and biological control methods are often necessary to prevent leafhopper damage.” 

“For this mural, I designed a piece that communicated the leaf damage that E. ziczac causes, as well as their small size,” Cabanas explained. “My piece features the stippling and discoloration of E. ziczac damage on a leaf, as well as E. ziczac in the lens of a magnifying glass. E. ziczac is small to the naked eye, but taking a closer look reveals its beautiful patterns and colors. My piece was created using clay and underglazes of various colors, with a clear glaze covering it. Participating in this project has been a memorable part of my college experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to combine insects and art, which are two of my favorite things.

California Lady Beetle. Sophomore Yijia "Sally" Zhou, depicted a California lady beetle, Coccinella californica, in her Eco-Alliance artwork. "This insect plays a crucial role in natural pest management by preying on plant-damaging pests," she wrote. "As valuable biological control agents, they help to control pest populations, reducing the need for harmful chemical pesticides. The relationship between C. california and humans extends beyond its role in biological control. This insect holds cultural and ecological significance, captivating the interest and admiration of people."

"In my design," Zhou explained, "I aimed to depict the harmonious interaction between C. californica and California buckwheat in wine yield, representing their interdependence and the beauty of their collaboration. The adjacent human is releasing the beetle to the buckwheat, representing the excellent relationship between humans and the California lady beetle. I aim to inspire people to contemplate the profound connections and interdependencies within ecosystems. The collaboration between C. california, humans, and California buckwheat serves as a reminder of the delicate balance and interconnectedness of all living beings. By celebrating the beauty of this symbiotic relationship, we can foster a deeper appreciation for nature's intricate tapestries."

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The PowerPoint includes this screen of a bobcat walking among mustard flowers. This is the work of Diane Ullman (the bobcat) and Davis community member Sarah Rizzo (flowers).

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The Entomology 001 Professors
Diane Ullman. Ullman joined the UC Davis faculty in 1991. She launched the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program in September 2006; chaired the UC Davis Department of Entomology from 2004-2005; and served as an associate dean for undergraduate academic programs for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from 2005 to 2014.

A Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2014) and the Entomological Society of America (2011), Ullman was named the 2014 recipient of the ESA National Excellence in Teaching Award. She received the UC Davis Academic Senate's 2022 Distinguished Teaching Award for undergraduate teaching.

Emily Meineke. Meineke, who joined the UC Davis faculty in 2020, was recently named an Early Career Fellow of the Ecological Society of America and one of 12 UC Davis recipients of the prestigious Hellman Fellowships, an annual program supporting the research of early-career faculty.  She was among the scholars and artists who helped spearhead the Harvard Museum of Natural History's “In Search of Thoreau's Flowers: An Exploration of Change and Loss," hailed as an examination of the natural world and climate change at the intersections of science, art and history.  Meineke helped launch the project in 2017 when she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard University Herbaria. The 648 plant specimens that Henry David Thoreau donated to the museum form the foundation of the exhibit, which opened to the public in May of 2022.

The Matthiasson Winery
Steve Matthiasson and Jill Klein Matthiasson, owners of Matthiasson Winery,  3175 Dry Creek Road, are active in the sustainable agriculture and local food movement. The winery is a James Beard Award six-time nominee and was named "Winemaker of the Year" by the San Francisco Chronicle and Food & Wine Magazine. For information on Matthiasson Winery, access the website at https://www.matthiasson.com.