Ongoing research

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A garden spider wraps its prey, a honey bee, in The Good Life Garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey
Bug Squad: Article

The Good Life

September 26, 2014
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Okra. You either love it or hate. If you hate it, it's probably because of its characteristic "slime" that it produces. It's a mucilaginous plant. If you love it-- absolutely love it--you may be from the Deep South, where okra is king. They bread the slender green pods and deep-fry them.
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IGIS: Article

Raining on the King Fire

September 25, 2014
By Maggi Kelly
wunderground mapWundermap has a nice interface where you can add fires to your animated weather radar map. I caught this snap as our rare September storm (an atmospheric river apparently) moved over the King fire this afternoon.
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UC Davis graduate student Cindy Preto is studying vineyard leafhoppers. (Photo by Liam Swords)

A True Success Story

September 25, 2014
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Meet Cindy Preto. The new UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology's graduate student is an incredible success story who hurdled the obstacles heaved in her path and lets nothingabsolutely nothing--block her education, enthusiasm, research or goals.
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Ecologist Rick Karban with sagebrush.
Bug Squad: Article

Pardon Me, But You're Eating My Relative!

September 23, 2014
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
If you're a sagebrush and a predator (such as a grasshopper) is eating your nearby kin, another sagebrush, it's good to be closely related. Through volatile (chemical) cues, your kin will inform you of the danger so you can adjust your defenses. Yes, plants can communicate.
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UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

POST efficacy with Venue (pyraflufen) as a tankmix partner in orchard crops

September 23, 2014
By Brad Hanson
Sharing the results of two recent field trials conducted to evaluate several POST herbicides with and without the addition of pyraflufen (Venue). Please note that glufosinate is not a registered treatment for prunes - this site was not harvested.
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Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology, and millipede enthusiast Evan White, both of UC Davis,

Like Bugs?

September 22, 2014
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
Like bugs? Thinking about becoming an entomologist or just want some hands-on experience? Mark your calendar. The Bohart Museum of Entomology on the UC Davis campus is planning an open house on "How to Be an Entomologist" from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 27.
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A very hungry Gulf Fritillary caterpillar working over the Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bug Squad: Article

No Butterflies Without Caterpillars

September 19, 2014
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
How can you hate a caterpillar and love a butterfly? You can't. Some gardeners so love their passionflower vine (Passiflora) that they squirm at the thought of a caterpillar munching it down to nothing. But that's what caterpillars do.
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IGIS: Article

How Scotland voted

September 19, 2014
By Maggi Kelly
Reds are Yes, blues are NoHere is a map of voting results from yesterday's historic independence vote in Scotland. Overall the Nos carried the day - 55% - 45%. Interestingly, Motherwell and Hamilton, two towns in my family's life, were split. Motherwell voted Och Aye and Hamilton voted the Noo.
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