Master Gardeners of Ventura County
University of California
Master Gardeners of Ventura County

Posts Tagged: Vacaville

Buds, Butterflies and Books...

It's delightful to see a child browsing through an insect book. And it's double delightful with twins! Such was the case at the Vacaville Museum Guild's recent Children's Party when two-year-old twins Ford and Wyatt Devine were thumbing...

A children's book on the California state insect, the dogface butterfly, draws the interest of twins Ford and Wyatt Devine, 2, of Vacaville.The book was displayed at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A children's book on the California state insect, the dogface butterfly, draws the interest of twins Ford and Wyatt Devine, 2, of Vacaville.The book was displayed at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A children's book on the California state insect, the dogface butterfly, draws the interest of twins Ford and Wyatt Devine, 2, of Vacaville.The book was displayed at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, August 22, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Family, Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

They Quickly Learned What All the Buzz Was About

They quickly learned what all the buzz was about.  The bees. When longtime beekeeper and retired teacher Ettamarie Peterson displayed a  bee observation hive at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party, the youngsters, ages 3 to 9,...

Ettmarie Peterson, known as
Ettmarie Peterson, known as "The Queen Bee of Sonoma County," stands by her bee observation hive at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ettmarie Peterson, known as "The Queen Bee of Sonoma County," stands by her bee observation hive at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Children's Party. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey Bee (Dr.George Stock, a retired physician) peeks around to see what's happening by the bee observation hive. Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) is chatting with Hunter Banks, 3, and his grandmother, Margaret Banks. Hunter is wearing his
Honey Bee (Dr.George Stock, a retired physician) peeks around to see what's happening by the bee observation hive. Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) is chatting with Hunter Banks, 3, and his grandmother, Margaret Banks. Hunter is wearing his "Buck, Buck, Moose" t-shirt. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey Bee (Dr.George Stock, a retired physician) peeks around to see what's happening by the bee observation hive. Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) is chatting with Hunter Banks, 3, and his grandmother, Margaret Banks. Hunter is wearing his "Buck, Buck, Moose" t-shirt. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) discusses bees with Damian Strzelczyk, 3, and his mother, Marta  Strzelczyk. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) discusses bees with Damian Strzelczyk, 3, and his mother, Marta Strzelczyk. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Beekeeper Ettmarie Peterson (right) discusses bees with Damian Strzelczyk, 3, and his mother, Marta Strzelczyk. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Emeline Swank and her grandmother Maryann Henn (far left), a member of Museum Guild, learn about bees from beekeeper Ettamarie Peterson. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Emeline Swank and her grandmother Maryann Henn (far left), a member of Museum Guild, learn about bees from beekeeper Ettamarie Peterson. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Emeline Swank and her grandmother Maryann Henn (far left), a member of Museum Guild, learn about bees from beekeeper Ettamarie Peterson. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Monday, August 12, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Family, Innovation, Yard & Garden

A Honey of a Bee

Is there a doctor in the house? Is there a doctor in the courtyard? Is there a doctor in the honey bee costume? Yes!  That was the scene at the Vacaville Museum Guild's Annual Children's Party, held Thursday morning, Aug. 8 in the museum...

Hear that buzz? The Honey Bee (Dr. George Stock) enters the courtyard. With him are Vacaville Museum Guild members Georganne Gebers (right) of Vacaville, and Sharon Walters of Dixon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Hear that buzz? The Honey Bee (Dr. George Stock) enters the courtyard. With him are Vacaville Museum Guild members Georganne Gebers (right) of Vacaville, and Sharon Walters of Dixon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Hear that buzz? The Honey Bee (Dr. George Stock) enters the courtyard. With him are Vacaville Museum Guild members Georganne Gebers (right) of Vacaville, and Sharon Walters of Dixon. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Children expressed excitement as they circled The Honey Bee. In the back is a cutout banner of a California dogface butterfly, the state insect, from the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Children expressed excitement as they circled The Honey Bee. In the back is a cutout banner of a California dogface butterfly, the state insect, from the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Children expressed excitement as they circled The Honey Bee. In the back is a cutout banner of a California dogface butterfly, the state insect, from the Bohart Museum of Entomology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Little Eloise Vieira loved The Honey Bee. In back is Vacaville Museum Guild member is bee assistant Sharon Walters. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Little Eloise Vieira loved The Honey Bee. In back is Vacaville Museum Guild member is bee assistant Sharon Walters. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Little Eloise Vieira loved The Honey Bee. In back is Vacaville Museum Guild member is bee assistant Sharon Walters. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Solano County Sheriff's Department, Vacaville Police Department and California Highway Patrol all participated in the Museum Guild's Children's Party. The Honey Bee took time out to pose with several of the officers. From left are CHP Officer Mike Barday, Sheriff Sgt. Rex Hawkins, and CHP Officer Erica Tatum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Solano County Sheriff's Department, Vacaville Police Department and California Highway Patrol all participated in the Museum Guild's Children's Party. The Honey Bee took time out to pose with several of the officers. From left are CHP Officer Mike Barday, Sheriff Sgt. Rex Hawkins, and CHP Officer Erica Tatum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Solano County Sheriff's Department, Vacaville Police Department and California Highway Patrol all participated in the Museum Guild's Children's Party. The Honey Bee took time out to pose with several of the officers. From left are CHP Officer Mike Barday, Sheriff Sgt. Rex Hawkins, and CHP Officer Erica Tatum. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Honey Bee poses with
The Honey Bee poses with "Queen Bee" Ettamarie Peterson of Petaluma, who displayed her bee observation hive at the event. At right is a costumed McGruff the Crime Dog from the Vacaville Police Department. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Honey Bee poses with "Queen Bee" Ettamarie Peterson of Petaluma, who displayed her bee observation hive at the event. At right is a costumed McGruff the Crime Dog from the Vacaville Police Department. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Honey Bee gets acquainted with Stanley, a 20-year-old donkey brought to the party by Tina Currie of the Vaca Valley Grange. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Honey Bee gets acquainted with Stanley, a 20-year-old donkey brought to the party by Tina Currie of the Vaca Valley Grange. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The Honey Bee gets acquainted with Stanley, a 20-year-old donkey brought to the party by Tina Currie of the Vaca Valley Grange. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, August 9, 2024 at 5:42 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources

Welcome, Little 'Cat; 'Bye, Little 'Cat!

Monarch butterflies seem to be as scarce as hen's teeth around here. And since hens have no teeth, that's pretty scarce. And then it happened. A late in-star monarch caterpillar appeared on our milkweed in our Vacaville pollinator-predator garden...

A visitor! A late in-star monarch caterpillar munches on wilting milkweed in a Vacaville garden in triple-temperature conditions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A visitor! A late in-star monarch caterpillar munches on wilting milkweed in a Vacaville garden in triple-temperature conditions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A visitor! A late in-star monarch caterpillar munches on wilting milkweed in a Vacaville garden in triple-temperature conditions. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch caterpillar keeps on munching the milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The monarch caterpillar keeps on munching the milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch caterpillar keeps on munching the milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of a monarch caterpillar munching milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Close-up of a monarch caterpillar munching milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Close-up of a monarch caterpillar munching milkweed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at 2:14 PM
Focus Area Tags: Innovation, Natural Resources, Yard & Garden

Can You Name California's State Insect?

Can you name California's state insect? Did you know that California has a state insect? It does. Is it the honey bee? No. Is it the lady beetle (ladybug)? No. Bumble bee? No.  It's the California dogface butterfly (Zerene...

Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology, holds a drawer of California dogface butterfly specimens. The butterfly is California's state insect. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology, holds a drawer of California dogface butterfly specimens. The butterfly is California's state insect. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tabatha Yang, education and outreach coordinator for the Bohart Museum of Entomology, holds a drawer of California dogface butterfly specimens. The butterfly is California's state insect. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A 35-page children's book,
A 35-page children's book, "The Story of the Dogface Butterfly," is authored by UC Davis doctoral alumna Fran Keller, a professor at Folsom Lake College and a Bohart research scientist.

A 35-page children's book, "The Story of the Dogface Butterfly," is authored by UC Davis doctoral alumna Fran Keller, a professor at Folsom Lake College and a Bohart research scientist.

Posted on Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 4:19 PM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources

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