Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of California
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Posts Tagged: beetles

Lawn-pocalypse! Surviving Drought

Ah, summer! The season of sunburns, pool parties, and… lawn droughts. If your once lush, green carpet now looks like a crunchy brown doormat, you're not alone. Let's dive into why your yard is staging a dramatic death scene and what you can do to...

Bermuda grass and weeds overtaking drought stressed turf grass.
Bermuda grass and weeds overtaking drought stressed turf grass.

A patch of former lawn, mostly dead, with a few green weeds and Bermudagrass

Posted on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at 3:30 PM
Tags: drought, turf
Focus Area Tags: Yard & Garden

Why Soldier Beetles Deserve the Aphid Belt

It's the Fourth of July and what better time to post images of the aptly name "soldier beetles" than today. These insects (family Cantharidae) resemble the uniforms of the British soldiers of the American Revolution, which is apparently how their name...

It's early morning, and a soldier beetle stirs in a Vacaville garden. A beneficial insect, it eats aphids and other soft-bodied insects. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
It's early morning, and a soldier beetle stirs in a Vacaville garden. A beneficial insect, it eats aphids and other soft-bodied insects. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

It's early morning, and a soldier beetle stirs in a Vacaville garden. A beneficial insect, it eats aphids and other soft-bodied insects. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Are the Red Coats coming? No, but this soldier beetle is alert. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Are the Red Coats coming? No, but this soldier beetle is alert. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Are the Red Coats coming? No, but this soldier beetle is alert. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Thursday, July 4, 2024 at 11:39 AM
Focus Area Tags: Environment, Food, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

Happy Mother's Day!

In the human world, we recognize Mother's Day as a special day to celebrate all mothers. It's a day that Anna Jarvis of Grafton, West Va., established on May 10, 1909 with a worship service at St. Andrew's Methodist Church, Grafton. Lady...

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, with newly deposited eggs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A lady beetle, aka ladybug, with newly deposited eggs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, with newly deposited eggs. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In its larval stage, the lady beetle somewhat resembles an alligator. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
In its larval stage, the lady beetle somewhat resembles an alligator. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

In its larval stage, the lady beetle somewhat resembles an alligator. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Friday, May 10, 2024 at 8:01 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

The Good Luck at UC Davis Picnic Day

Remember when San Francisco 49'ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk credited his spectacular 51-yard catch in the 2024 NFC championship game with the Detroit Lions to a ladybug (note that entomologists correctly call it a "lady beetle") landing on his...

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, devouring on aphid on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A lady beetle, aka ladybug, devouring on aphid on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle, aka ladybug, devouring on aphid on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A cellar spider snares a lady beetle in a Vacaville pollinator garden. The red droplet is reflex bleeding, the beetle is emitting an alkaloid toxin to protect it from predators. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A cellar spider snares a lady beetle in a Vacaville pollinator garden. The red droplet is reflex bleeding, the beetle is emitting an alkaloid toxin to protect it from predators. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A cellar spider snares a lady beetle in a Vacaville pollinator garden. The red droplet is reflex bleeding, the beetle is emitting an alkaloid toxin to protect it from predators. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 8:00 AM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management, Yard & Garden

Lady Beetles, Unite!

That lady beetle, aka ladybug, that landed on the shoe of San Francisco 49”ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk just before the NFL championship game, apparently didn't show up at the Super Bowl.  The 49'ers lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, but...

Three lady beetles, aka ladybugs, form a Leaning Tower of Pisa on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Three lady beetles, aka ladybugs, form a Leaning Tower of Pisa on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Three lady beetles, aka ladybugs, form a Leaning Tower of Pisa on the UC Davis campus. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 7:06 PM
Focus Area Tags: Agriculture, Environment, Innovation, Natural Resources, Pest Management

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