- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
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.
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.”
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.”
“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.
"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."
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.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
The UC Davis distinguished professor emeritus, an icon in the entomological world, especially in integrated pest management (IPM), grew up thinking that he might be working for the telephone company.
His father, an immigrant from Czechoslovakia, wanted him to obtain a college degree and pursue “a career with the telephone company,” Frank related. “Both of my parents worked for Western Electric, a part of AT&T.”
That proposed career did not happen. When he enrolled at Arizona State University, Frank chose to major in architecture before switching to zoology.
“In high school, I really liked mechanical drawing, and I was pretty good with math,” he told interviewer Marlin Rice on Feb. 14 for a Legends feature appearing in the summer 2023 issue of the American Entomologist, a publication of the 7000-member Entomological Society of America (ESA). “In 1970, there was the first Earth Day, and I got caught up in that. I wanted to do something to save the world from pollution and overpopulation. I became really interested in environmental issues. That's when I switched to zoology. At Arizona State, we collected scorpions for their anti-venom lab, and they would pay us a quarter a scorpion.”
Frank received two degrees from Arizona State, a bachelor's degree in zoology (1973) and a master's degree in ecology (1974), before earning his doctorate in entomology in 1978 from UC Davis, where he studied with major professor and agricultural entomologist Albert “Al” Grigarick.
“Frank was working for the U.S. Forest Service in Davis when he applied for graduate school in entomology,” Grigarick, now 95, said in an interview July 10. “When his application was circulating among our faculty for a major professor, I noticed his thesis was on a backswimmer. With a background in aquatic entomology, I wondered if he might be interested in doing research in our California rice fields. He did, was an excellent graduate student and soon got his PhD. He accepted an academic position at the University of Minnesota (assistant professor, 1979-1980, in the Department of Entomology, Fisheries and Wildlife) but the climate there may have played a role in his decision to apply for an IPM position in Cooperative Extension in California. I applaud the selection committee that accepted him. The University of California, California Agriculture, and the discipline of entomology have received countless benefits from his pursuits. I am very proud of Frank.”
A highly celebrated entomologist, Zalom is an ESA Fellow (2008), past ESA president (2014), and he holds ESA's highest honor, Honorary Member (2021), an honor achieved by only four other UC Davis entomologists: Harry Lange, 1990; Don MacLean, 1993; Bruce Eldridge, 1996; and John Edman, 2001.
Zalom considers himself a “blue-collar entomologist.” As he told Rice: “That's the way I consider myself: somebody that doesn't mind getting dirty, who's interested in insects, likes to communicate with people, and wants to solve problems.”
Rice's article, Frank Zalom, Blue Collar California, is one of a series in his “Legends: Life Stories from Legends in Entomology” feature that highlights the careers of noted entomologists who are at least 70 years old and remain active professionally. Zalom is the second UC Davis entomologist to be featured in Legends. Rice chronicled the life and work of UC Davis Distinguished Professor Bruce Hammock in the spring 2020 edition.
“I am honored to follow Bruce as the second member of our department featured in this American Entomologist column,” Zalom said. Among his scores of credentials: Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society (2015), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2010),and the author of 376 journal articles or book chapters. (See Zalom's full CV on his website at https://entomology.ucdavis.edu/people/frank-zalom). He recently completed a 4-1/2 year term as Editor-in-Chief of ESA's Journal of Economic Entomology.
Zalom retired from the university in 2018 as a distinguished professor emeritus, but immediately joined the “recall professor” ranks.
“Beginning in 1980 and continuing through today, Zalom has focused his extension and research activities on California specialty crops, including tree crops, small fruits, and fruiting vegetables,” Rice wrote. “The IPM strategies and tactics Zalom has developed include monitoring procedures, thresholds, pest development and population models, biological control, cultural control, and use of less toxic pesticides, which have become standard practice and part of the University of California IPM guidelines for these crops.”
Rice added: “The Zalom lab has responded to numerous newly identified or invasive pests in the last two decades, with research projects on glassy-winged sharpshooter, olive fruit fly, a new biotype of greenhouse whitefly, light brown apple moth, grapevine red blotch disease, brown marmorated stink bug, and spotted-wing drosophila, among others.”
Some excerpts from the American Entomologist article, as shared by Rice:
What was your first memorable experience with an insect?
“I was raised in Arizona, and it may have been when I was six or seven years old. We had very sandy soils, and we'd see cone-shaped pits with an antlion in the bottom. We'd drop other insects in there for them to grab. That was the first time I ever thought much about insects.”
“In those days, there were a lot of required ‘-ology' type classes. I took general entomology, taught by Frank Hasbrouck. I did well in the class and thought it was interesting. Another class I took was aquatic insects; that was taught from an ecology perspective. I liked working with insects, but I never imagined I would do anything related to entomology when I finished. I also did a summer job at the USDA cotton lab in Phoenix, working with their sterile male release program and sweeping cotton fields for pink bollworms. I did it for a job, but I learned more about research.”
What was your greatest challenge as an undergraduate or graduate student?
“Just to figure out where I would be going with a career. I always had this ‘working for the telephone company' mentality, which I did not want to do. If you don't come from an academic background, you only associate professional jobs with doctors, lawyers, teachers, and teaching was something I knew I could do. As I started to mature academically, I realized there's a whole world out there I wasn't aware of. More things than being a doctor, lawyer, or teacher.”
You are officially retired but still working as a recall professor. When I hear the word ‘recall,' I think of something that is broken or not functioning correctly, like an automotive part. I assume that's not what recall means here?
“No, although there are days when I feel like I am not quite functioning properly. At UC, you can get recalled and paid part-time, and in my case, it allows me to keep my lab and most importantly to stay active in research. The funding comes from the California Department of Food and Agriculture primarily for consulting on pesticide uses, alternatives, and impacts of proposed regulations. This is helpful for the state because I have a solid understanding of pests and pest management in California crops, and I have established a good deal of mutual trust and understanding with growers' groups. In this role, I can impact pesticide policy and help maintain some of the most critical chemical uses.”
What is your philosophy of extension?
“It's about putting your foot in the other person's shoes. I try to understand the grower's perspective and needs, then approach the job like problem solving. Although I've always tried to reduce the negative impacts of pesticides, I also work towards implementable alternatives. The growers appreciate it. They know I'm not trying to take the pesticides from them without offering an alternative. That was a concern from the ag industry early in the UCIPM program, which was funded by the state legislature to reduce pesticide use, and the growers were worried that it would contribute to more regulation.”
“Playing a role in getting the UC IPM program recognized as an integral part of the university system and gaining its acceptance by growers. But I didn't do this by myself, of course. We had a team of very talented people who were passionate about IPM and worked well together. I was fortunate to help facilitate it and keep the momentum going.”
You studied numerous insects. What's a favorite and why?
“The spotted-wing drosophila is my favorite. There's just so much that can be done with it. It's easy to rear, has a short generation time, and an economic problem. And it's a Drosophila after all, so it brought me back to population genetics, which I enjoyed many years ago. Working with geneticist Joanna Chiu has enabled me to learn about molecular techniques. She's great to work with and is patient with an old guy like me.”
Chiu, who became chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology on July 1, 2023, commented July 6: “Frank has been an amazing and supportive mentor and friend since the day I met him. He welcomed me with open arms into the department when I first started as an assistant professor and introduced me to research in Agricultural Entomology. Given my postdoctoral training in biomedical sciences in the Drosophila model, I must have sounded so naive when we first started our now decade-long collaboration on the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii, but he has always been so patient as a mentor. He is literally a walking encyclopedia; I have learned so much from him and continue to do so every single time I talk to him. I have been so lucky to have Frank as a mentor!"
What does Zalom, as a long-time Extension entomologist, see as the future for Extension? He told Rice: “…I think extension is tremendously important and it is one of the things that has made the land-grant university system unique in the world. Five years ago, I might have said, ‘The future's bleak in California.' And if California's budget problems got really bad, I'm not sure that it would survive. The campus and county links were becoming increasingly strained as retirements were greatly reducing the numbers of specialists and farm advisors, and the ability to respond to problems locally became increasingly difficult. The traditional extension model didn't reflect the current way information is being transferred, either. In California, there are well-established crop consultants that advise growers and large farming operations with their own crop and pest management staffs. Recently, budgets have increased in extension and people are being hired again. But many new positions reflect working on more thematic problems like fire and climate. Roles have shifted for extension, with farm advisors and specialists assuming more of the traditional experiment station applied research role. California extension is in transition.”
Other questions and answers published in the American Entomologist article include:
Do you think the future is bright, but just different?
“I think it is bright, because there remains a need for university-based applied research programs. The traditional extension programs where you'd regularly meet with growers—there's going to be a different model for that. More electronic transfer of information, more electronic meetings, but it loses something.”
What great question in agricultural entomology or agricultural policy would you like to see addressed before you call it quits?
“The biggest challenge is invasive species. Accepting that they will get established and how will you manage them from a practical and policy standpoint. They're probably not going to be eradicated, so less emphasis on eradication and more on management. And dealing with trade issues, which are deeply political. How do we manage invaders on a world scale to keep them out of the chain of trade? I would like to see policymakers address that at some point. But right now, it's a losing battle.”
Any other questions to address?
“Another is the potential for using pesticides on a prescription basis. If an insecticide presents a human health or environmental hazard, maybe somebody should be trained and licensed to prescribe its used safely under less risky circumstances. That's a policy to consider instead of eliminating the ability to use pesticides that have value. Ultimately, too many materials are lost because the ag industry fights use restrictions right to the end. Maybe proposing prescription use is some way of maintaining useful products.”
As president, you issued some Grand Challenges. Do you feel like those gained any traction?
“They got people talking about important issues that the entomological community can address, so in that respect, I think it did. It also helped ESA's global initiative by partnering with other international societies, particularly with the Entomological Society of Brazil. I noticed the Royal Entomological Society has established a Grand Challenges initiative to identify how to improve the human condition.”
“A good one is Life on a Little-Known Planet: A Biologist's View of Insects and Their World [by Howard Ensign Evans]. It tells why insects are important and the research that led to important discoveries. If you're not interested in that sort of thing, then maybe you shouldn't be studying entomology or pursuing it as a career.
In the Rice interview, Zalom also touched on his family. “Family comes first in my life, then work. I still bring a lot of entomology-related work home with me. Honestly, it's pretty bad. (Laughs). I may have gotten a job in marine biology, but I wouldn't have been any happier.”
Zalom is married to the former Janet Smilanick, who received her master's degree from UC Davis in the 1970s. Her major professor was chemical ecologist Martin Birch (1944-2009), who served on the UC Davis faculty from 1973 to 1981, chairing the department from 1979 to 1981 before accepting a faculty position at the University of Oxford.
The couple married when Janet was Professor Marjorie Hoy's staff research associate at UC Berkeley. Hoy was also featured in an American Entomologist ‘Legends' article in fall 2019. The Zaloms have two children (Martina, an oncologist and Frank Nicholas “Nick,” a lawyer) and four grandchildren, ranging in age from two months to 11 years.
Neither Martina nor Nick expressed interest in following in their parents' entomological footsteps.
Martina, who received her bachelor of science degree in bioengineering from UC Berkeley and her medical degree from UC San Diego, is an oncologist/hematologist with Kaiser Permanante, Roseville. She served on the staff at Olive View/UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, before returning to the Sacramento area about four years ago.
Nick, who received his bachelor of science degree in economics from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, and his law degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., is a senior associate with the law firm of Orrick, Herrington, and Sutcliffe in Sacramento. Nick served three deployments as an officer in U.S. Navy, doing drug interdiction in central and South America and port security in the Persian Gulf. Like Martina, he also returned to the Sacramento area about four years ago.
Meanwhile, Zalom has added another position to his curriculum vitae: he recently accepted a position with the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) as Panel Manager for the 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program.
His footprints and legacy in the entomological world continue.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
“It was about how to cook with honey and how to keep good quality honey without destroying it,” she related. “Then I took my real retirement trip—an Alaskan cruise with my sister.”
Today Amina Harris is no longer the "queen bee” of the Honey and Pollination Center but she continues to be the “queen bee” of the family-owned, family-operated gourmet food business, Z Specialty Food LLC, Woodland, that her late husband, Ishai Zeldner founded in 1979.
Accolades about her work flow like the honey she loves. "Amina has been key to promoting and developing regional and national interest in honey and mead,“ said nematologist Steve Nadler, professor and former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
Her accomplishments include:
- Founded the Center in the fall of 2012 and served as the founding director until June 30, 2023
- Co-founder of the California Honey Festival with the City of Woodland and Z Specialty Food, 2016
- Developed the UC Davis Honey Aroma and Flavor Wheel, 2013-14
- Offered several UC Davis Bee Symposia in concert with the Department of Entomology and Nematology to help educate California beekeepers at all levels, starting in 2015
- Established “The Feast: A Celebration with Mead and Honey,” formerly known as “The Mid-Winter Beekeepers' Feast,” pairing food influenced by honey, starting in 2014
- Helped develop and fund the California Master Beekeeper Program (which replaced the Bee Symposia), 2016
- Developed, with the UC Davis Department of Viticulture, the first short course on mead, 2014. Subsequent short courses ranged from “Introduction to Making Mead” to “Advanced Mead Making.”
- Developed the Honey Exploration Series, which began in 2016 and included both a professional focus (“Honey Sensory”) and a public focus (“World of Honey”).
- Delivered presentations at various programs and events throughout the United States and Canada from 2012 to 2023.
“It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with Amina as she always brought a fresh perspective to pollinator education discussions," Niño added. "We will miss her in her capacity as the HPC director, but I am sure that we will continue to interact in the future and utilize her expansive knowledge of all things honey!"
Said Wendy Mather, co-program manager of CAMBP: “Whenever I've needed assistance with about anything honey-related, Amina has generously offered her time and wisdom. She has served on the CAMBP Advisory Board since the program's inception in 2016. Her experience and wisdom are valued as she continues to offer excellent programmatic design suggestions to help strengthen our staff-member communication. Amina was also instrumental in designing, hosting and facilitating an introduction and overview to honey, honey processing and honey tasting. And she connected us to Suzanne Teuber, a UC Davis physician and professor specializing in allergy and clinical immunologic disorders so we could learn more about the science behind anaphylactic responses to bee stings.”
Energy of a Worker Bee. “We also couldn't have asked for a better partner to set up beside at the California Honey Festival over the past few years!” Mather said. “The Honey Wheel tasting table draws crowds curious about exploring the sensory elements of honey and our adjacent CAMBP booth benefits from that sweet attraction. If you've even seen Amina in action, you'll know she has the purposeful energy of a worker bee.”
Amina, born and raised in Buffalo, N.Y, received her undergraduate degrees--double major in English and the history of art--from the University of Michigan and her graduate degree in special education from Buffalo State College. She met beekeeper/entrepreneur Ishai Zeldner, also a native of Buffalo, in Yolo County. They married in 1982 and together they raised their two children, Shoshana “Shoshi” and Joshua.
Ishai and Amina created a line of internationally recognized award-winning specialty food products, including the Moon Shine Trading Company. They began providing more than 30 honey varietals, including star thistle honey, the first honey to capture Ishai's imagination and palate.
A Dream Fulfilled. Ishai, who died in 2018 at age 71, always dreamed of expanding the family business from a processing plant into what it is today, a 20,000-square-foot facility that includes The HIVE tasting room for honey and mead, a gift shop, a kitchen featuring sustainable pollinator-themed dishes, a conference room, an outdoor courtyard and a two-acre pollinator garden.
The facility, which opened in 2021, houses Moon Apiaries and the Moon Shine Trading Company, as well as The HIVE. Located at 1221 Harter Way, Woodland, it is described as a sustainable educational learning center; a landmark community gathering spot featuring honey, mead, and sustainable pollinator-themed dishes; and a place that offers the largest selection of honey and mead in California. Ishai's bee boxes grace a wall of the tasting room.
“We, our family, are all the co-owners of this venture,” Amina says. Josh describes himself as “the nectar director”; Amina, “the queen bee”; and Shoshi, the marketing director.
How It Began. What sparked Amina's interest in honey? Creating honey-influenced recipes. “Back in 1970s when everyone was getting into whole foods, I wanted to create more holistic recipes, so I started making jams and jellies and pies, adding honey for the sweetener instead of sugar. I was making pies for families when I was in the seventh grade! Honey selection was not good in New York State, and I didn't know the science then.”
Bees continue to fascinate her. “People have no idea how emotionally attached we are to bees. There's this huge, wonderful group of people who just love bees because they're so cute and endearing. But we need to be more curious and inquisitive as to how wonderful bees are, and how they benefit us as pollinators. And the honey. We should appreciate bees more than we do.”
Meanwhile, Amina's family, friends and colleagues are gearing up for an August retirement party, to be held at The HIVE.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
It was the lab mates' first-ever conference, and they brought home first- and second-place awards, in addition to a second-place tie in the Cobb Bowl competition which memorializes Nathan Cobb (1859-1932), the father of nematology.
Alison Coomer Blundell, who will be a fourth-year doctoral candidate in Plant Pathology this fall, won first place in the three-minute student competition with her presentation on “Trade Offs Between Resistance Breaking and Fitness Cost in Root-Knot Nematodes.” She received a $250 award and a plaque.
Ching-Jung Lin, who will be a fourth-year doctoral student this fall, won second place in the 12-minute category with her presentation on "Elucidating the Role of MigPSY Peptides in Interactions Between Plants and Root-Knot Nematodes." She received a $250 prize.
The six-member Siddique lab team, "Meloidogyne Gang Gang," which included Blundell, Lin, third-year doctoral student Pallavi Shakya, and second-year doctoral student Veronica Casey, tied for second place in the Cobb Bowl, a jeopardy-like competition that can include both students and postdoctoral fellows on the teams.
"I am very humbled by the award and recognition but am very proud of seeing all my lab mates accomplish their presentations and get good feedback and recognition as well," said Blundell, who seeks a PhD in plant pathology. She holds two undergraduate degrees--a bachelor's degree in biology and a bachelor's degree in chemistry--from Concordia University, Seward, Neb.
“I was first introduced to nematodes in my undergraduate studies where I maintained C. elegans (Caenorhabditis elegans) cultures, but was introduced to plant parasitic nematodes when Dr. Siddique reached out to me about becoming a member in his lab," Blundell said. "This was my first time at SON, and for all my lab mates. SON has allowed me to meet people I have heard about or have talked to on Zoom, email, or twitter and also make new connections with many U.S. states and universities.”
Lin, a first-generation international student, credits co-principal investigator Professor Gitta Coaker of Plant Pathology and the Coaker Lab with mentoring her, offering presentation suggestions. "It was very much appreciated," she said.
- Question: "The Guava root-knot nematode."
Answer: "Meloidogyne enterolobii" - Question: "First report of root-knot nematodes."
Answer:"Who is Miles Joseph Berkeley?"
"The most difficult question, said team member Veronica Casey was: "The color of the first edition of the Journal of Nematology."
"The answer was simply, 'What is orange?' but many teams thought it was green," Casey related. "Another difficult question was 'The full species name of the Beech Leaf disease nematode.' The answer: "What is Litylenchus crenatae mccannii?"
The University of Idaho team won the Cobb Bowl. The UC Davis team, which also included a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Illinois and a graduate student from Montana State University, tied for second place with two other teams: AlohaNema, comprised primarily of students from the University of Hawaii, and Nemafolks, comprised of students from a number of universities, including Michigan State, Oregon State and Texas Tech. The other two teams represented the University of Florida and The Ohio State University.
Also at the SON meeting, Siddique participated in a session titled "Nematology Faces of the Future." In his five-minute self-introduction, he displayed a map showing how far he has traveled. A native of Multan, Pakistan, he received two degrees in Multan: his bachelor of science degree from the Government College Bosan Road in 2001 and his master's degree in botany from the Bahauddin Zakariya University in 2004. Then it was off to Vienna, Austria to receive his doctorate in 2009 in agriculture and biotechnology from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences. After serving as a research group leader for several years at the University of Bonn, Germany, he joined the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology faculty in 2019 as an assistant professor and advanced to associate professor this year.
Alison Blundell Abstract
In her abstract, Blundell wrote: “Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), are among the most devastating pathogens of crops, causing substantial yield and economic losses worldwide. These parasitic organisms can infect over a hundred different plant species and can evade plant defense mechanisms by secreting a concoction of effectors. For decades, the Mi-1 resistance gene has been effective in detecting and inhibiting RKNs in tomatoes. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Mi-1 detects these pathogens remain largely unknown. In recent years, resistance-breaking populations have emerged in both greenhouse and field settings, posing a threat to the potency and effectiveness of the Mi-1 gene and, consequently, the tomato industry."
"We used two strains of M. javanica, one strain VW4, which is recognized by Mi-1, and another strain, VW5, which was selected from VW4 and can overcome resistance mediated by Mi-1," she explained. "Utilizing the newly constructed reference genome for M. javanica (VW4), we compared genomes of VW4 and VW5 and identified an approximately 650 kb region that is present in VW4 but missing in VW5. This missing region contains ten protein-coding genes, three of which encode putative effectors and are currently being tested as potential avirulence genes for Mi-1. In addition, we have conducted a series of infection assays on different host plants lacking Mi-1, and the results revealed a significantly lower egg count in VW5 when compared to VW4. We plan to expand these assays by testing additional M. javanica resistance-breaking strains collected from fields all over California to determine if this trade-off is consistent across other strains. Overall, our results suggest that although VW5 can overcome Mi-1, there is a trade-off in the form of compromised reproduction. This research helps to better understand the mechanism and components of Mi-1 and develop strategies for addressing resistance-breaking populations." (Co-researchers and authors include P. Shakya, M. Winter, D. Lunt, V. M.Williamson, and S. Siddique)
Ching-Jung Lin Abstract
In her abstract, Lin wrote: "Plant parasitic nematodes pose a severe threat to global food production. These parasites invade plant roots and establish permanent feeding sites, which serve as their sole source of nutrients. To manipulate host responses, they secrete effectors such as phytohormones or peptides that hijack the host's cellular machinery. Plants produce a family of peptides called Plant Peptide Containing Sulfated Tyrosine (PSY) that promote root growth via cell expansion and proliferation. Intriguingly, the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae also produce a PSY-like peptide called RaxX (required for activation of XA21 mediated immunity X), which contributes to bacterial virulence. Our previous research has identified a group of secreted peptides called MigPSYs in root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) that resemble plant PSY peptides and stimulate root growth in Arabidopsis. We found that MigPSY transcript levels are highest during the early stages of infection in rice and tomato plants. Furthermore, down-regulating expression of MigPSY results in reduced root galling and egg production, suggesting that the MigPSYs serve as nematode virulence factors. To gain a better understanding of the roles of MigPSYs, I plan to characterize the mechanisms underlying their function and host perception in plants. This research is expected to provide valuable insights into the mechanism of nematode infection and may lead to the development of new methods for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes." (Co-researchers and authors include H. Z. Yimer, D. D. Luu, A. C. Blundell, M. F. Ercoli, P, Vieira, V. M. Wlliamson, P. C. Ronald and S. Siddique)
The next SON meeting is Aug. 4-9, 2024, in Park City, Utah.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Powell was a Bohart Museum associate and a scientific collaborator, identifying scores of insects and attending many of the Lepidopterist Society meetings held there.
The open house, free and family friendly, is set from 7 to 11 p.m., Saturday, July 22 in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus.
Plans call for scientists to set up their traditional blacklighting (ultraviolet or UV) display to attract moths and other night-flying insects. Bohart Research Affiliate John De Benedictus, a retired UC Davis Staff Research Associate, also known as "The Moth Man," usually heads the blacklighting project with several other scientists. De Benedictus received his master's degree in 1988 from UC Berkeley, studying with Powell. "I spent more time in the field with Jerry than any other grad student," he related. "I was privileged to be Jerry's student and lucky to have become his friend."
Jerry, born May 23, 1933 in Glendale, Calif., received his bachelor's degree in entomology at UC Berkeley in 1955 and his doctorate there in 1961. One of his most-read books, co-authored with Charles Hogue, is California Insects, Volume 44, published in 1980. The second edition, co-authored by Kip Will, Daniel Rubinoff and Powell and covering more than 600 species, was published in October, 2020.
In a tribute to Powell on its website, the Essig Museum posted in part:
"In his teen years he was heavily influenced by Charles 'Harbie' Harbison, who ran the Junior Naturalist Program at the San Diego Museum of Natural History, and sparked an interest in Jerry for butterflies and moths. Seeing his potential, Harbie recommended Jerry for the Entomology program at UC Berkeley, where he received his BS in 1955 and his PhD in 1961. While climbing through the ranks of Junior Entomologist (1961-62), Assistant Entomologist (1962-67), Associate Entomologist (1967-73), Entomologist (1973-94), Lecturer in Entomology (1964-69), Associate Professor (1969-73), and Professor (1973-94) at UC Berkeley, Jerry also became Curator (1972-2018) and Director (1993-1999) of the Essig Museum of Entomology (1972-1999) and Project Leader for the California Insect Survey (1963-1999). Although he retired as Director in 1999, Jerry remained a professor of the Graduate School until 2012 and maintained an active research program in Lepidoptera life histories and systematics until 2018, advising many students along the way. (See more on Essig website.)"
"Jerry's rearing program was the most extensive in the history of the study of New World Microlepidoptera," according to the Essig post. "For over 50 years he and his students processed more than 15,000 collections of larval or live adult Lepidoptera. Resulting data encompass more than 1,000 species of moths, through rearing either field-collected larvae or those emerging from eggs deposited by females in confinement. This total includes more than 60% of an estimated 1,500 species of Microlepidoptera occurring in California."
Powell gained international recognition when he detected the agricultural pest, the light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana, in a ultralight (UV) trap on July 19, 2006 in his backyard in Berkeley.
"A consummate field biologist, Jerry's knowledge and interests were broad, allowing him to read landscapes and discover the most interesting and cryptic of species interactions," Oboyski noted. "This is well documented in over 220 publications, but also in the 60+ years of his field notes and rearing records that we are currently digitizing. He is the collector of over 400 holotypes of various insect orders, described over 170 species and 14 genera of moths, and honored by 41 patronyms. He also published papers on Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Dermaptera, and a Nematode. His legacy is impressive and will long be remembered."
Powell described himself as a "MothNut" on his vehicle license plate, and also displayed a sticker, "Larvae on Board."
The Bohart Museum, directed by UC Davis distinguished professor Lynn Kimsey, is the home of a global collection of eight million insect specimens; a live insect petting zoo; and a gift shop.