Rangelands

If you stand perfectly still and don't make any jerky movements, you can usually get a close-up image of a black syrphid fly, a Mexican cactus fly, Copestylum mexicanum. It's Friday Fly Day and this one was nectaring on a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia.

A spectacular leaf insect is the latest addition to the Bohart Museum of Entomology's hallway display of origami, all crafted by UC Davis alumnus Kevin Murakoshi of Davis. Leaf insects, family Phylliidae, resemble leaves as their name implies.

When folks think of "migratory butterflies," they usually associate that term with monarchs. But painted ladies, Vanessa cardui, are also migratory.

Sunflowers bring out the best in us. They bring us joy, happiness, hope and unity. But wait until you watch the newly released PBS Deep Look video, "Why Do Sunflowers Face the Sunrise?" that spotlights the research of UC Davis and UC Berkeley scientists.

If you love capturing images of insects or admiring the images of other photographers, you'll want to access the 66th annual International Insect Salon. The Peoria Camera Club (PCC) of Illinois and the Entomological Society of America (ESA) annually host or sponsor the Salon.

When Walter Leal submitted his application in 2000 to join the faculty at the University of California, Davis, one of his references wrote "He is like an Energizer Bunny that never runs down.

Don't miss this UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology (ENT) seminar by ecologist Andrew Corbett, a research associate with ENT who is also highly skilled in simulation modeling and instructional design.

Zinnias are a great nectar source for migratory monarch butterflies as they wing their way to their overwintering spots along coastal California. How much do monarchs love zinnias? So much that sometimes a monarch will touch down on a zinnia right next to you.

It's Friday Fly Day, and time to post an image of a fly that masquerades as a bee. That would be "the bee fly," a fly so named because it resembles a bee Order: Diptera. Family: Bombyliidae. In its adult stage, it's a pollinator that feeds on nectar and pollen. In its larval stage, it's parasitoid.

It's Arachtober and that means celebrating arachnids for the entire month of October. Well, we ought to celebrate them year around, but October is THEIR month.