Test PB Collection: FTE

Exciting news! Scientists based at the University of California, San Francisco, have discovered four new honey bee viruses.

Don't forget your sunglasses if you're heading over to the Hagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a half-acre bee-friendly demonstration garden at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis. That's because the Gaillardia is stunningly bright and beautiful.

The last couple of weeks we had some unusually cold weather. Some days, daytime temperature was 20 degrees below the average for this time of the year. The graph below compares average maximum daily temperatures with actual 2011 maximum daily temperatures during April and May in Colusa County.

Basil plants that originated from a central coast nursery were recently found infected with downy mildew pathogen, Peronospora belbahri in a home and garden store in California. This is a new pathogen that can cause serious damage to culinary and ornamental basil plants.

Talk about a bee celebration! Folks with a passion for honey bees and native bees can head over to Mill Valley on Saturday, June 18 for "The Celebration of the Bees." To be held from 1 to 4 p.m.

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The crane fly is as long-legged and slender as a runway model, but as gangly as a teenager. The insect, from the family Tipulidae, is sometimes called daddy long-legs (not!) or a skeeter eater (not!). They don't eat mosquitoes and they don't bite. The adults sip nectar.

The latest developments in weed control will take center stage at UC Davis once again when scores of scientists, students, regulators and more gather July 14 for the 55th annual Weed Day.

You never hear anyone say "He's as cute as an earwig." Or, he's as cute as a "lygus bug." No. It's "Cute as a June bug," which could be any number of bugs, including the fig beetle (Cotinus mutabilis).

I gave an overview presentation on my research program today as part of the Plant Science Departmental Seminar series at UC Davis. I thought I'd post it here for several reasons: 1. There might be someone out there who is just dying to know what I do - here you go! 2.