- Author: Annemiek Schilder
In this blog series, Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shares her observations about the natural world across the seasons. As she says:
"Gently observing your surroundings with curiosity will teach you some amazing things. There are so many fascinating things happening under our noses, only wanting for an observant eye."
The other day I spotted a gorgeous red dragonfly in my garden. He – yes, it was a male - cocked his head towards me several times and studied me with his big compound eyes as I inched closer to take a picture. He waited patiently while I tried to get him into focus, then eventually flew off. The flame skimmer dragonfly (Libellula saturata) is common in California and the Western US. Males have an orange-red body with orange sections on the wings, whereas the female is paler with an amber tinge along the upper edge of the wings.
Dragonflies speak to the imagination with their bright colors, transparent lacy wings and aerial acrobatics, inspiring poets and artists through the ages. They are often seen as a good omen and a source of comfort during times of loss. In Japan, the dragonfly is a symbol of strength, courage, and happiness whereas to Native Americans, dragonflies signify change, transformation and healing.
Dragonflies belong to the insect order Odonata, which means “toothed”, for their serrated mandibles − entomology-speak for jaws with teeth-like projections. Adult dragonflies feed on soft-bodied insects such as mosquitoes, flies, moths, butterflies, and flying ants, ambushing them in mid-flight. They have almost 360-degree vision due to their huge compound eyes and can see many more colors than humans can. Dragonflies are amazing flyers, achieving speeds over 30 miles per hour, and are able to fly forwards, backwards and remain stationary with the help of flight muscles that control each of the four wings separately.
The flame skimmer dragonfly is mostly found near warm ponds or slow-flowing streams. In colder regions they are a common sight around hot springs. The larvae, also called nymphs or naiads, spend 2 or more years living in shallow water where they feed on mosquito larvae and other aquatic insects, small fish and tadpoles. In order to grow, they have to molt (shed their skin) multiple times. Adult dragonflies emerge in the spring and live for about 6 months during which time they have to find a mate. As I was observing two flame skimmers chasing each other, I was reminded that dragonflies can be fiercely territorial. After mating, the female lays her eggs by dipping her abdomen repeatedly in the water while hovering above the surface.
Watch the life cycle of dragonflies in this National Geographic video.
Related Reading:
Fireworks in the Garden: Octopus Agave
Photo by Sensei Minimal on Unsplash
- Author: Rose Marie Hayden-Smith
Current fire activity in Ventura County reminds us that fire season is here. It's critical to be prepared. Here are some important resources to help you get ready and stay apprised of fire activity in Ventura County.
For the latest fire incident information, visit the Ventura County Fire Department website. This website also contains a wildfire action plan for farmers, ranchers and growers.
We also suggest you bookmark the VC Emergency portal. You can access the Ventura County Emergency Preparedness Guide in English and Spanish.
Here are other resources we recommend:
- Fire in California This is UC ANR's comprehensive fire resources website. This site contains the latest information on fire ecology; wildfire preparation; health and safety in wildfires; wildfire recovery; and more. Useful information for homeowners, land owners and land stewards.
- CA Fire Science Consortium is a network of scientists and managers that strives to increase the awareness, understanding, and adoption of wildland fire science information.
- LUC Lab at UC-Berkeley researching land and land use change.
- ReadyForWildfire.org CalFire's fire resources website, which provides many valuable resources for preparedness.
- **NEW Wildfire Risk to Communities maps by US Forestry Service
Be sure to follow our UCCE Livestock & Range page on Facebook. Advisor Matthew Shapero helms that page and often posts fire information there. If you haven't had an opportunity to meet Matthew, you can learn more about his work in this blog post.
ICYMI, here's a #goodread about Pandemic and Wildfire: California is Preparing for a Crisis Within a Crisis
Stay safe.
- Author: Annemiek Schilder
In this weekly blog, Dr. Annemiek Schilder, Director, UCCE Ventura County and Hansen Agricultural Research and Extension Center, shares her observations about the natural world across the seasons. As she says:
"Gently observing your surroundings with curiosity will teach you some amazing things. There are so many fascinating things happening under our noses, only wanting for an observant eye."
The flowering spikes of the octopus agave (Agave vilmoriniana), currently in bloom in the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at HAREC in Santa Paula, are seriously impressive at more than 12 feet tall. Octopus agave is a drought-tolerant plant native to the Mexican desert where it grows on rocky ground. The gray-green smooth, twisting leaves with flexible spikes at the tips give the plant an octopus-like appearance. Like other agaves, it is monocarpic, flowering only once in its life before it dies.
Agaves belong to the family Asparagaceae and are therefore related to asparagus. Indeed, young flower spikes may resemble giant asparagus spears. Flowering usually occurs between 6 and 25 years of age. The plant invests all of its energy into producing a spectacular flower display as its last hurrah. The copious small yellow flowers start opening at the bottom of the spike, moving upwards in waves. Flowering may occur over a period of 4 to 8 weeks.
Agave flowers are a magnet for pollinating insects and hummingbirds. However, in their native habitat, nectar-feeding bats, such as the lesser long-nosed bat and the Mexican long-tongued bat, play an important role in agave flower pollination. This may also explain the height of the flower spikes. Bats pollinate at night and are critical for seedset. In the absence of these specialized bats, fewer than 5% of the flowers may produce seed. Commercial cultivation of agave for tequila, which involves cutting off flower stalks, as well as pesticides and habitat destruction have been put forward as reasons for the current endangered status of some of these bat species in Mexico.
In addition to seeds, plantlets called “bulbils” may be produced in large numbers on spent flower stalks. These bulbils are exact clones of the mother plant and will root readily when planted in soil. While clonal reproduction is a good short-term strategy for plant survival, it does limit genetic diversity which makes the species less adaptable to environmental changes in the long term.
- Author: Rose Marie Hayden-Smith
Here's news we hope you find useful, including food preservation resources, a new podcast, and a reading recommendation.
UC ANR and Citrus Research Board Co-Funding New Citrus IPM Advisor
The citrus IPM advisor will help fill the role of retiring UCCE citrus entomology specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell and will be based at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center.
Per UC ANR's Jeannette Warnert, “The new IPM advisor will conduct a multicounty extension, education and applied research program and provide research-based technical and educational assistance to the citrus industry…”
Beth Grafton-Cardwell is well known to growers in Ventura County for her work on Asian Citrus Psyllid.
Food Preservation How-To Videos
As a result of the pandemic, we're seeing dramatically increased interest in “traditional” home arts, including gardening, bread baking, cooking and food preservation/canning. Because of food safety issues, finding science-based, reliable information is vital when it comes to home food preservation.
UC ANR is helping by curating the best video resources in this area.
“To make reliable home food preservation how-to videos easy to find, a team of UC Cooperative Extension professionals and volunteers reviewed and aggregated research-based food preservation videos produced by Cooperative Extension programs across the nation on one website – http://ucanr.edu/MFPvideolibrary.”
Water Talk Podcast
“Water Talk” is a new podcast from UC ANR's California Institute for Water Resources. Hosted by Drs. Mallika Nocco, Faith Kearns, and Sam Sandoval, this great new listen explores a range of topics related to water in the Golden State. Recent episodes have explored:
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California water law;
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The history of Victory Gardens...and what's happening with gardening today;
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The food-water-virus nexus; and
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Ranching and water in California
Check out the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, or listen here.
And Speaking of Water...
H/T to Ben Faber for sharing this #goodread by Edmund Andrews: Less water could sustain more Californians if we make every drop count.
“As climate change and population growth make drinking water costlier, here are six strategies to quench the state's thirst without busting its budget.”
It appears in Stanford University's Engineering magazine.
Photo by Micah Tindell on Unsplash
- Author: Julie Di Blasio
Invasive shot hole borer (ISHB) infestations have been identified in Ventura County since 2015 but have not significantly spread. Discovery of the pest/disease complex was found in late 2018 in the urban forest of Meiners Oaks. Citizens Journal recently published an article about the removal of a tree that was at risk for amplifying the local infestation and causing potential other community harm.
The Ventura Agricultural Commissioner supervised the removal of the tree, using grant funds for this purpose from CAL FIRE. The box elder was located on private property and considered to be a hazard to extend the infestation.
UCCE Ventura has been collaborating to address ISHB with UC insect, disease, education specialists, Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner, CAL FIRE, US Forest Service, several other agencies and non-government organizations. We are locally active in monitoring and outreach. Ventura County Master Gardeners Invasive Pests Outreach Group augments our work through their efforts to educate the public, firewood users and vendors.
Below is a video produced by California Releaf, a nonprofit organization that works to empower grassroots efforts and build strategic partnerships that preserve, protect, and enhance California's urban and community forests. It's been edited for length.
For more information about ISHB, you can also visit the UCANR website.
