Bug Squad

It was a good day to be a praying mantis. It was not a good day to be a honey bee. Just before noon today, we watched a green praying mantis lurking in the African blue basil, like a camouflaged soldier ready to ambush the enemy.

What's this? A lady beetle, aka ladybug, sharing stories with Gulf Fritillary caterpillars? Well, not likely. The lady beetle (family Coccinellidae) preys mainly on aphids--it can eat about 50 aphids a day or some 5000 aphids in its lifetime.

He's a survivor. His sisters and brothers didn't eat him when he emerged from the egg case. In fact, he probably ate some of his brothers and sisters. He has managed to elude his predators: bats, birds and spiders. Yes, our praying mantis is very much alive and quite well, thank you.

Honey bee guru Eric Mussen is retired but the "R" word isn't stopping him. Mussen, who served 38 years as California's Extension apiculturist, based at the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, has changed the "R" word into a "K" word. "K" for keynote speaker.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation issued news today that is both disturbing and hopeful. Disturbing in that the monarch butterfly population (Danaus plexippus) has declined by more than 90 percent in under 20 years.