Ongoing research

Merry Christmas has always been merry, but it's better with butterflies! Isn't everything better with butterflies? Last year, in our small-scale monarch rearing project here in Vacaville, Calif., we saw one monarch eclose on Saturday, Dec. 24, one on Sunday, Dec. 25, and one on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Eggs, nymphs, and adult silverleaf whitefly on zucchini. Photo by Surendra Dara A study was conducted in the summer of 2017 to evaluate the efficacy of various chemical, botanical, and microbial pesticides against arthropod pests on zucchini.

It's amazing how quickly 2017 flew by. The dominant theme of current events this year seemed to be that of change, and not always for the better.

Click here to open pdf version of flyer.

The Asian citrus psyllid, the most devastating threat to the worldwide citrus industry, may have met its match.

Back in 2010, two innovators with the UC Davis Department of Entomology (now the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology) decided that "The 12 Days of Christmas" ought to be replaced with insects.

Seth Watkins shared the following article with me--thanks Seth. To see the actual article, visit https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2017/dec/drone/.

What a difference a few days can make in the life cycle of a fire. In this particular case, the Thomas Fire that is ongoing in the Ventura County around (and surrounding) in Southern California. The following images were taken by the Terra and Aqua satellites on Dec.

A butterfly for a beer? Suds for a bug? The annual Butterfly for a Beer contest, sponsored by Art Shapiro, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis, gets underway on Monday, Jan. 1.

The USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service has a wealth of information on fire recovery and erosion management. They can also do site visits to make recommendations about fire recovery: https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=CA https://www.nrcs.usda.