From the UC Blogosphere...
Today's Honorary Bee Image Award Goes to...a Fly
Today's Honorary Bee Image Award goes to...drum roll...an image of a humble hoverfly appearing on the National Geographic...
A National Geographic Facebook image shows a hover fly masquerading as a bee.
A drone fly, Eristalis tenax, sipping nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. It is often mistaken for a bee. Eristalis is a large genus of hoverflies, family Syrphidae, in the order Diptera. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee, Apis mellifera, sipping nectar from a Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifola. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Mary Louise Flint's Article in The Acorn: 'Butterflies in Decline'
You won't want to miss the cover story, "Butterflies in Decline," in the spring 2024 issue of The Acorn, the quarterly...
A pipevine swallowtail nectaring on Jupiter's beard in Vacaville. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
1,800 Climate-Ready Trees Provided to Residents of Low Shade Neighborhoods
To date, over 1,800 climate-ready shade trees and tips on their planting and long-term care have been provided by UC Master Gardeners and over 20 partners to residents of low shade neighborhoods in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties through the “Trees for Tomorrow Start Today” project. Tree species given away are identified from research projects including the joint University of California/United States Forest Service (USFS) study at UC Riverside as well as from other research, local observations, and input from the green industry and academic colleagues.
The "Trees for Tomorrow Start Today" project was implemented in 2019 by Area UC Cooperative Extension Horticulture Advisor Janet Hartin with support from the Inland Empire Resource Conservation District. A "train the trainer" model provided education to Master Gardener volunteers from San Bernardino County on project elements and follow-up. Master Gardeners now manage many of the events. In 2023, the program expanded into Riverside County. Several other Master Gardener programs throughout the state have also expressed interest in implementing the "Trees for Tomorrow Start Today" project.
Why is this project so important? 95% of Californians now reside in cities and suburban environments. Resulting urban heat islands created by built environments coupled with impacts of climate change can be mitigated through nature-based solutions. Planting climate-ready shade trees now will help ensure cooler urban areas in the next several decades as trees mature and maximize their urban ecosystem benefits. Fortunately, the shade from a single well-placed tree can decrease surface temperatures of black asphalt and artificial turf by more than 70 degrees F in hot inland and desert cities. Studies show that surrounding air temperatures can also be reduced through the transpiration process.
A major goal of the"Trees for Tomorrow Start Today" project is to enhance tree canopy cover in low shade neighborhoods also plagued with much higher than average levels of air pollution and pulmonary and cardiovascular disease incidence. Events over the past month have occurred in Fontana, San Bernardino, and the Salton Sea.
Other partners include San Bernardino County, City of San Bernardino, California Climate Action Fellows, Tree People, Coachella Valley Resource Conservation District, Alianza Coachella Valley, Inland Empire Urban Conservation Corps, several water districts, and other groups.
Thank you to all our partners and, especially, our tree recipients, for greening and cooling your yard and neighborhood!
UC Davis Faculty Award Recipients to Be Celebrated May 13
Congratulations again to the recipients of the 2024 UC Davis Academic Senate and Academic Federation awards. As mentioned...
Recipients of the 2024 Academic Senate and Federation Awards include UC Davis Distinguished Professor Walter Leal (top row, far left) and Professor Louie Yang (top row, fifth from left.)(Collage courtesy of UC Davis Dateline)
Take Stock: It's the First Day of Spring
Take stock of your flowers and pollinators; today is the first day of spring. If Virginia stock, Malcolmia maritima,...
It's spring! A honey bee heads toward a Virginia stock blossom, Malcolmia maritima. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee prepares to land on a Virginia stock blossom, Malcolmia maritima. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Bottoms up! The honey bee sips nectar from the fragrant Virginia stock, Malcolmia maritima. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)