Bug Squad

Spotted: A lady beetle (aka ladybug) feasting on aphids in her winter wonderland. It dines uninterrupted until it sees the shadow of what could be a predator. Swoosh! It quickly slips beneath a strawberry leaf and remains there, hidden and silent until the photographer leaves.

If honey bees fascinate you, you might want to take the first step toward becoming affiliated with the UC Davis-based California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP) by applying online to become an apprentice assistant. Applications close Jan. 30.

There they were. Together. The scene: A honeybee (Apis mellifera) and a bumblebee (Bombus vosnesenskii) nectaring on a purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in a UC Davis bee garden. If you've observed honeybees and wild bees foraging in your garden, you've probably wanted to compare them.

The systemic insecticide imidacloprid, belonging to a class of chemicals called the neonicotinoids or "neonics," is commonly used to control insects that damage agricultural crops.

Cockroaches for dessert? Yes.