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Bug Squad

Bug Squad blog image depicts a honey bee sting in action.

Welcome to the Bug Squad blog! The Bug Squad blog was launched Aug. 6, 2008 and is a daily blog (Monday through Friday). It showcases entomologists and the work they do.  The blog focuses on scientists in the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, the Bohart Museum of Entomology, Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, the UC Davis Bee Haven, and assorted campuswide events, including UC Davis Picnic Day, UC Davis Biodiversity Museum Day, and Bohart Museum open houses. The blog spotlights insects, including bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and praying mantises, as well as arachnids such as jumping spiders and crab spiders. Author and photographer is Kathy Keatley Garvey, communications specialist, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and a longtime journalist and community scientist with two degrees from Washington State University.  She is a member of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) and the Association for Communication Excellence (ACE). Her blog posts and images have won international awards from ACE and ESA and appeared on journal and magazine covers. She shoots primarily with a Nikon Z-8 mirrorless camera, a Nikon D500 and Nikon 800, with assorted macro lenses. Feedspot lists it as one of the top entomology blogs on the Internet. 

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Pinning a butterfly specimen at the Bohart Museum open house.

How to Pin an Insect

September 25, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Insect pinning: The method of preserving dead insects on specialized stainless steel pins for display or scientific study.Several UC Davis entomology undergraduates and graduate students did just that when they tabled at the Bohart Museum of Entomology open house, themed "The ABC's of Museum."Visitors…
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Emma Jochim in Belize.

A Focus on Trapdoor Spiders

September 24, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 UC Davis doctoral candidate Emma "Em" Jochim of the Jason Bond lab, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology will discuss trapdoor spiders at the Pacific Coast Entomological Society (PCES) meeting on Sunday, Sept. 27 at UC Davis.The PCES members and guests will be gathering at 10:30 a.m. in the…
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Monarch banner at Briggs Hall

Who's Speaking at the UC Davis ENT-NEM Fall Seminars?

September 23, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Who's speaking at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematogy (ENT-NEM) fall seminars?Lisa Baik, assistant professor of insect biology and the coordinator of the ENT-NEM seminars for the 2026-27 academic year, has announced the list of fall speakers and their topics.All seminars will take place…
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Nazzy Pakpour's German cockroaches. (Photo by Nazzy Pakpour)

Nazzy Pakpour: Cockroaches, Coffee and 'The New Normal'?

September 22, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 “Today in my adventures as a biotech founder, I dissected out the guts of German cockroaches while students gathered around to take turns doing the same. Is this normal? Probably not. Is it my new normal? Absolutely.”So wrote UC Davis alumna Nazzy Pakpour, co-founder and chief executive officer of…
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Monarch advocates gathering in Phoenix, Ore. (Photo courtesy of David James)

Phoenix Rising, Monarchs Migrating, But...

September 21, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 Yes, there are images! Washington State University professor/entomologist David James shared some of his photographs after radio-tagging or "e-tagging"  22 adopted monarch butterflies on Sept. 17 in Phoenix, Ore.As part of his Adopt-a-Monarch research program, he is e-tagging a total of 200…
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