Bug Squad

If honey bees fascinate you, you might want to take the first step toward becoming affiliated with the UC Davis-based California Master Beekeeper Program (CAMBP) by applying online to become an apprentice assistant. Applications close Jan. 30.

There they were. Together. The scene: A honeybee (Apis mellifera) and a bumblebee (Bombus vosnesenskii) nectaring on a purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) in a UC Davis bee garden. If you've observed honeybees and wild bees foraging in your garden, you've probably wanted to compare them.

The systemic insecticide imidacloprid, belonging to a class of chemicals called the neonicotinoids or "neonics," is commonly used to control insects that damage agricultural crops.

Cockroaches for dessert? Yes.

There's no doubt--no doubt at all--that Fatma Kaplan is a go-getter. And maybe a genius. Born on her family's 40-acre farm in Turkey, where they grew hazel nuts, Kaplan went from farmer to scientist to entrepreneur. Today Kaplan is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Pheronym, Inc.