Ongoing research

This is a story about honey bees, almonds and a Harvard gradate student who is passionate about pollinators. Stephanie Hsia, a master of landscape architecture candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), has just created a marvelous 46-page digital story, http://almondandbee.

There's a lot of interest building in this seminar. Amro Zayed of the Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada, will speak on "Honey Bee Behavioral Genomics: Worker Behavior and Adaptation" from 12:10 to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11 in Room 122 of Briggs Hall, UC Davis campus.

It was a good day for bugs. But isn't every day a good day for bugs? The Bohart Museum of Entomology on the University of California, Davis, campus, proved to be a good focal point last Sunday during the fourth annual UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day. It was one of six museums being showcased.

ESRI software and licenses to UCANR staff and academics Like last year, UCANR will provided ESRI software and licenses to UCANR staff and academics at no cost in the coming year.

It was a good visit from "Down Under." Australian beekeeper/pollination specialist Trevor Monson, a second-generation beekeeper, and his son, Jonathan and nephew Reece spent several hours last week at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr.

Roll over, Rosie. Make room for Peaches. Rosie, the popular 24-year-old Chilean rose-haired tarantula at the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, Davis, is approaching the end of her natural life span.

The journal California Agriculture recently published a special issue on research and extension efforts related to the University's Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases strategic initiative.

What a creative idea! Munich-based photographer Volker Steger gave 50 Nobel laureates a large sheet of white paper and assorted crayons and told them "Draw your discovery." Then he photographed them holding their art work. None knew what he was up to.

Reminder: Come on out to the Colusa Farm Show and attend the South Sacramento Valley Winter Almond Meeting Thursday, February 5th 8:00 am Stagehands Theater, Colusa Fairgrounds...

The wait is over. It's almond pollination season again in California. We spotted a lone almond tree blooming in Benicia on Christmas Day. And on New Year's Day, even more blooms. No honey bees, though. If you want to photograph bees on almonds, you have to go where the bees are. Bees at the Harry H.