Posts Tagged: Halloween

Got Legs? Check Out Bohart Museum's Trapdoor Spider T-Shirt

Everyone's an arachnologist on Halloween! Ironically, some folks proclaim their hatred or disgust for all things spiders throughout the year, but when the Halloween season arrives, they're thinking webs, fangs and eight legs as perfect decor for their...

Female Cryptocteniza kawtak discovered by UC Davis professor Jason Bond on a sandy beach at Moss Landing State Park, Monterey County. This is a new genus of trapdoor spider. (Photo by Jason Bond)

Female Cryptocteniza kawtak discovered by UC Davis professor Jason Bond on a sandy beach at Moss Landing State Park, Monterey County. This is a new genus of trapdoor spider. (Photo by Jason Bond)

It's Friday Fly Day! Say 'Hi' to a Drone Fly

'Tis "Friday Fly Day" (also known as #Fridayflyday in the Twitter world), and it's almost Halloween. So why not combine the two with a common drone fly, Eristalis tenax, nectaring on a pumpkin-orange Mexican sunflower, Tithonia...

A drone fly, Eristalis tenax, nectaring on a pumpkin-orange Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A drone fly, Eristalis tenax, nectaring on a pumpkin-orange Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Side view of a drone fly, Eristalis tenax, sipping nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Side view of a drone fly, Eristalis tenax, sipping nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The drone fly, Eristalis tenax, is sometimes called an "H bee" for its distinguished "H" on its abdomen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The drone fly, Eristalis tenax, is sometimes called an "H bee" for its distinguished "H" on its abdomen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

That's all, folks! A drone fly, Eristalis tenax, prepares to leave a Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

That's all, folks! A drone fly, Eristalis tenax, prepares to leave a Mexican sunflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

At Bohart Museum of Entomology: It Took Gall to Make a Ghost

It took gall to make a ghost. Really.  When the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis recently hosted an open house on "Weird and Wonderful Wasps," the family arts-and-craft activity was to create a gall ghost. Tabatha Yang, the Bohart's...

The Bohart Museum's family arts-and-crafts table, featuring how to make gall ghosts, was busy throughout the open house, themed "Weird and Wonderful Wasps." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Bohart Museum's family arts-and-crafts table, featuring how to make gall ghosts, was busy throughout the open house, themed "Weird and Wonderful Wasps." (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sign prompted folks to try their hand at making gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A sign prompted folks to try their hand at making gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

These oak galls became the heads of the gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

These oak galls became the heads of the gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis student and Bohart volunteer Elizabeth Gromfin explains how to make gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis student and Bohart volunteer Elizabeth Gromfin explains how to make gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A helping hand is all that's needed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A helping hand is all that's needed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A very creative youngster, 10-year-old Isaac Nottie, shows his family of gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A very creative youngster, 10-year-old Isaac Nottie, shows his family of gall ghosts. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis student and Bohart volunteer Elizabeth Gromfin, who staffed the gall ghost table, holds a few of the ghosts she made. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis student and Bohart volunteer Elizabeth Gromfin, who staffed the gall ghost table, holds a few of the ghosts she made. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bohart associate Barbara Heinsch of Davis helped with the arts-and-crafts table. Here she shows some of the gall ghosts she created. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Bohart associate Barbara Heinsch of Davis helped with the arts-and-crafts table. Here she shows some of the gall ghosts she created. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Happy (Bee, Butterfly, Dragonfly) Halloween!

The Bohart Museum of Entomology at the University of California, Davis, won't be the site of a Halloween party this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic precautions.  But oh, the memories! "Friends of the Bohart" annually host the fun-filled...

These three jack o'lanterns represent a butterfly, bee and dragonfly. They were among Halloween decorations at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's annual Halloween parties. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

These three jack o'lanterns represent a butterfly, bee and dragonfly. They were among Halloween decorations at the Bohart Museum of Entomology's annual Halloween parties. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This carved pumpkin celebrates the order Hymenoptera (an order that includes bees, wasps and sawflies). Doctoral student Charlotte Alberts carved this one of a bee and honeycomb. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This carved pumpkin celebrates the order Hymenoptera (an order that includes bees, wasps and sawflies). Doctoral student Charlotte Alberts carved this one of a bee and honeycomb. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A spider graces this Bohart Museum of Entomology pumpkin. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A spider graces this Bohart Museum of Entomology pumpkin. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What, you've never seen a pumpkin with a bedbug theme? This is one of the pumpkins featured at a previous Halloween party at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

What, you've never seen a pumpkin with a bedbug theme? This is one of the pumpkins featured at a previous Halloween party at the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not all pumpkins at the previous Bohart Museum Halloween parties focused on insects. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Not all pumpkins at the previous Bohart Museum Halloween parties focused on insects. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis entomology doctoral student Charlotte Herbert Alberts and husband George are a big part of the Bohart Museum Halloween parties. Both are artists as well. Charlotte studies with major professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology. With the couple: their Brittany spaniel, Westley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

UC Davis entomology doctoral student Charlotte Herbert Alberts and husband George are a big part of the Bohart Museum Halloween parties. Both are artists as well. Charlotte studies with major professor Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology. With the couple: their Brittany spaniel, Westley. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Griffin, infant son of George and Charlotte Alberts, wasn't born in time for the 2019 Bohart Museum of Entomology Halloween party, but he's not missing out this year in family celebrations. He was born in April 2020. (Photo courtesy of George and Charlotte Alberts)

Griffin, infant son of George and Charlotte Alberts, wasn't born in time for the 2019 Bohart Museum of Entomology Halloween party, but he's not missing out this year in family celebrations. He was born in April 2020. (Photo courtesy of George and Charlotte Alberts)

Hi, I'm a Jumping Spider

Hi, I'm a jumping spider. I see that you found me on the tropical milkweed, Asclepias curassavica.  I'm just here for the prey, and you are definitely not prey, so not to worry. I'm a member of the Salticidae family and my family...

A jumping spider, member of the Salticidae family, perches on a tropical milkweed plant and eyes the photographer. Friend or foe? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A jumping spider, member of the Salticidae family, perches on a tropical milkweed plant and eyes the photographer. Friend or foe? (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Read more