Plumas-Sierra

Invasive Plants By Andrea Giacoletti UCCE Master Gardener I've heard the term 'invasive.' How do I know if I have an invasive plant in my garden? Violet P. If there's one thing that will throw a pall on your gardening, it's an invasive plant.

The Beer-for-a-Butterfly Contest is not over. Art Shapiro, UC Davis distinguished professor of evolution and ecology who annually sponsors the contest in the three-county area of Sacramento, Solano and Yolo to determine the first flight of the cabbage white butterfly, sighted one on Thursday, Jan.

Hello California farmers and ranchers.

News flash: Monarch sighting in Sacramento! Butterfly guru Art Shapiro, UC Davis distinguished professor of evolution and ecology, spotted a monarch in Sacramento on Wednesday, Jan. 29--way, way, way early to see monarchs in this area. But it wasn't in his transect.

Ranching has a long history in California, starting when Spanish missions were established in the early 1700s, continuing as ranchos under Mexican rule, and persisting as a solid industry today with about 38 million acres of range and pasture lands in the state.

The question is troubling: What's going on with the monarch butterfly population in the West? The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation reported this week that its Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count shows a decline for the second consecutive year.

"Why Are the Monarch Butterflies Declining in the West?" When Professor Elizabeth Crone of Tufts University, Medford, Ma., zeroes in on that topic to the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, she will discuss the challenges that both monarchs and ecologists face.

The month of January is a good time to eat winter squash, which come in different shapes, sizes, colors and flavors. Some of the most common types of winter squash include butternut squash, acorn squash and pumpkins, although there are many other varieties available.

Citrus By Carol Michael UCCE Master Food Preserver It's raining satsuma mandarins and lemons in my neighborhood. What can I do beyond making juice and eating them fresh? Tim C.

It was a "Science of a Day" at the UC Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology open house last Saturday afternoon, Jan. 18. For three hours, six UC Davis doctoral students discussed their research and fielded questions from the 270-plus guests, ranging from pre-kindergarten students to senior citizens.