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They Didn't Get the Memo
They didn't get the memo. Summer is over. Fall is underway. Winter is coming (Dec. 21). But the Gulf Fritillaries (Agraulis vanillae) are still laying eggs on the passionflower vine here in Vacaville, Calif. The eggs are hatching. The caterpillars are eating. The 'cats are pupating. And the...
Gulf Fritillaries are still flying--and mating and laying eggs--in November. This one is nectaring on Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar in November. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A tiny Gulf Fritillary egg. The egg is about the size of a sesame seed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
No Gulf Fritillary will ever eclose from this chrysalis. Note the parasitoid hole. It was a large parasitoid--a big tachinid fly or an ichneumonid or wasp--says Art Shapiro, UC Davis distinguished professor of evolution and ecology. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The Unseen World of Gulf Fritillaries
Let's celebrate the Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae). If you have a passionflower vine (Passiflora) in your yard, you've probably seen these spectacular orangish-reddish butterflies with silver-spangled underwings fluttering around--the males patrolling for females, the mating, the females...
Gulf Fritillaries mating in the passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A newly laid Gulf Frit egg (on right) and an older Gulf Frit egg on the left. The egg is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A hungry caterpillar getting its fill of passionflower vine, Passiflora. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A newly eclosed Gulf Fritillary hangs onto its chrysalis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae, sips nectar from Lantana. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Insect Art in the Garden
If you look closely, you'll not only see the cycle of life in your garden, but art as the center of life. Take the Gulf Fritillaries. They're a stunning orangish-reddish butterfly (Agraulis vanillae) with silver-spangled underwings. It's a delight seeing them laying eggs on their host plant,...
The tiny yellow egg of a Gulf Fritillary glows in the early morning sun. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A Gulf Fritillary caterpillar inches away from a passionflower. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
The empty chrysalis of a Gulf Fritillary hangs like a broken chandelier. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Gulf Fritillaries, aka passion butterflies, mating in the passionflower vine. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Joy to the (Monarch) World
Oh, the joys of rearing monarch butterflies. Not for commercial purposes. For conservation purposes. For a couple of months now, we've been watching the monarch caterpillars slowly disappearing from our milkweed plants. We'd see fifth instar 'cats one day, and the next day, they'd be gone....
Female monarch has just eclosed. Next to her is a gold-studded jade-green chrysalis. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Newly emerged female monarch. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Female monarch spreads her wings on a butterfly bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Newly emerged male monarch spreads his wings. Note the black spots on the hind wings, distinguishing gender. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Male monarch ready to be released. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Fostering changes one #healthyselfie at a time
A group of participants in the UC CalFresh Nutrition Education program will graduate next week ready to use the knowledge and skills they have acquired to make healthy choices for themselves and their families. Let's find out what healthy changes they have made:
“I added whole grains.”
“Put more vegetables in daily diet.”
“Serving more fruits and veggies.”
“Eating more greens and less fatty foods.”
“Eating more colorful vegetables.”
“Don't leave meat out!”
“Eating more vegetables and fruits.”
“Being more physically active.”
The UC CalFresh Nutrition Education program is a no-cost, evidence-based course focusing on nutrition, physical activity, food safety and resource management offered to low-income youth and adults. Community partnerships are essential for successful, sustainable programming.
The Fresno-Madera County UC CalFresh Nutrition Education Program is currently hosting an Eat Smart, Being Active class series in partnership with a local job training agency. Participants attending Proteus' Jobs 2000 classes are offered nutrition education as part of their ongoing education, job training and job placement services. UC CalFresh maintains an ongoing partnership with Proteus Inc., enabling us to expand our reach and assist low-income families to make informed and educated decisions when it comes to their health.
The current class has covered topics including:
- Incorporating a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins into meals and snacks.
- The importance of physical activity, and the health benefits one derives from maintaining a healthy diet alongside an active lifestyle.
- Resource management, to encourage participants to stretch food dollars while making the healthiest food choices.
- The importance of dairy foods and calcium for bone health.
As a nutrition educator, I always encourage participants to make healthy lifestyle changes, regardless of how incrementally it's done. Whether it means walking around the block during lunch or breaks, or adding more fruits and vegetables to everyday meals, no change is too small. Health changes made gradually enable us to maintain them over time.
Below are a few tips I like to provide series participants:
- Start with a goal that is achievable and time bound.
- As you achieve your health goals, challenge yourself further. For example, you may be accustomed to drinking whole milk and have effectively transitioned to reduced-fat milk (2%). Don't stop there, challenge yourself and go for low-fat (1%) milk.
- Write down your health goal, this will keep you accountable.
- Your health goal should be fun and enjoyable, involve your family or friends to make it social. For example, create a neighborhood walking club and encourage others in your community to be more active.
- Celebrate your successes!
- For more tips, I encourage participants to visit choosemyplate.gov. There are always new resources available to make a healthy lifestyle easier.
Lifestyle changes happen gradually, and Jobs 2000 participants are leading the way toward building healthier families, while encouraging others to do so too. Together we can inspire others to make healthy changes!
I want to encourage you to take a #healthyselfie to inspire others within your community to make healthy lifestyle changes.
Use the hashtags #UCCE and #healthyselfie, and follow @UCCalFreshFC and @UCANR to stay connected with our social media platforms, for more healthy tips, and for updates about events and classes in the Central Valley. You can join and stay connected to the work being done in Fresno and Madera counties across many platforms including: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and our Blog.
Pictured above are (clockwise, from upper left) Brenda, Cheyenne and Mercedes who showcase their #healthyselfie with goals for food safety, eating more leafy greens and being more physically active.
