From the UC Blogosphere...
Tribute to the Bees
A gigantic bee sculpture and bee hive columns are major attractions at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven at the Harry H....
Bee Sculpture
Side View
Bee Hive Column
Red palm weevil found in Orange County
Palm tree growers, government officials and UC scientists are moving quickly to prevent the spread of red palm weevil, which made its first U.S. appearance a month ago in Laguna Beach, according to an article in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. The pest has caused enormous damage to palm trees in other parts of the world. Its larvae excavate large holes in the trunks of many types of palms - including coconut, date and oil palms, canary, queen and fan palms - killing a mature tree in about a year.
"This is central to our livelihood," the story quoted Albert Keck, chair of the California Date Commission and a third-generation date farmer.
Press-Enterprise reporter Mark Muckenfuss noted in the story that concern about the palm tree pest goes well beyond farmers' pocketbooks. Palm trees add a distinctive character to local landscapes.
"Palms are iconic to California," Keck was quoted.
Originally from Southeast Asia, the red palm weevil has spread to Africa and Europe, reaching the Mediterranean in the 1980s. It was first recorded in Spain in 1994.
UC Riverside entomologist Mark Hoddle said the weevil was probably brought into the United States as eggs, larvae or pupae hidden inside imported palms.
"These can travel great distances because they live with their food supply," Hoddle said.
A UC Riverside news release said scientists, growers and regulators will gather at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 29, at UC Riverside to discuss a collaborative effort to manage red palm weevil and a campaign to alert and educate Southern California homeowners about the threat.
Detailed information about red palm weevil is on the UC Center for Invasive Species Research website.
Red palm weevils are quite large and have a slender snout.
Gearing Up for Winter
There's a magnificent purple aster blooming in the bee yard at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility,...
Purple asters
Bee on purple aster
Upside down
Consumers look for the sustainable label
Responding to consumer demand, grocery retailers are pushing growers to practice "sustainable farming," according to a feature in the Fresno Bee.
"This is not an issue that is going away, and it's one that more retailers will likely adopt," the story quoted Gail Feenstra, food systems coordinator with the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program at UC Davis. "It is best that farmers get out ahead of the game to the extent that they can."
Examples of sustainable marketing include:
Farmer John Diener
Stop and Smell the Roses
Do bees stop and smell the roses?Maybe. Honey bees gather nectar and pollen from a variety of flowers, including their...
Hide and Seek
Peek-a-Bee
Close-up