Remember the iconic song, "The 12 Days of Christmas," which begins with "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree?" Eleven more gifts follow: 2 turtle doves, 3 French hens, 4 calling birds, 5 gold rings, 6 geese-a-laying, 7 swans-a-swimming, 8 maids a'milking, 9 ladies dancing, 10 lords-a-leaping, and 11 pipers piping.
Sadly, that song, published in England in 1780, lacked one gift: insects. Not one single, solitary mention of a bug. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Talk about no representation!
So in 2010, the UC Davis Department of Entomology (now the Department of Entomology and Nematology) replaced the traditional song with "The 13 Bugs of Christmas."
Extension apiculturist Eric Mussen (with the department from 1976- 2014 and now emeritus) and yours truly came up with a "bugworthy" song that focused on California agricultural pests. We performed it at the department's holiday party to roaring applause. (Entomologists like bugs.) Then it went viral when U.S. News picked it up.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a psyllid in a pear tree.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 2 tortoises beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 8 ants a'milking aphids, 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 9 mayflies dancing, 8 ants a'milking aphids, 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 10 locusts leaping, 9 mayflies dancing, 8 ants a'milking aphids, 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 11 queen bees piping, 10 locusts leaping, 9 mayflies dancing, 8 ants a'milking aphids, 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
On the 12th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 12 deathwatch beetles drumming, 11 queen bees piping, 10 locusts leaping, 9 mayflies dancing, 8 ants a'milking aphids, 7 boatmen swimming, 6 lice a'laying, 5 golden bees, 4 calling cicadas, 3 French flies, 2 tortoise beetles and a psyllid in a pear tree
"On the 13th day of Christmas, Californians woke to see:??
13 Kaphra beetles,
?12 Diaprepes weevils,
?11 citrus psyllids,
?10 Tropilaelaps clareae,
?9 melon fruit flies,
8 Aedes aegypti,
7 ash tree borers,
6 ?six spotted-wing Drosophila,
5 ?five gypsy moths,
4 Japanese beetles,
3 imported fire ants,
2 brown apple moths,
?And a medfly in a pear tree."
Fast forward to Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. We asked the honey bee guru (he's emeritus but still maintains an office in Briggs Hall and is president of the Western Apicultural Society--sixth term)) if we should update our "bugworthy" song, what with the influx of new agricultural pests and all. (Especially "new" and "all.") Within minutes--well, it seemed like minutes--he came up with a 2016 bugworthy version:
"On the 13th day of Christmas, Californians woke to see:??
13 Japanese beetles,
12 guava fruit flies
11 citrus psyllids,
10 brown apple moths,
9 melon fruit flies,
8 longhorn beetles,
7 imported fire ants,
6 white striped fruit flies,
5 g-y-p-s-y m-o-t-h-s,
4 peach fruit flies,
3 false codling moths,
2 peach fruit flies,
And a grapevine moth in a pear tree."
Thirteen bugs. That's bugworthy all right.
You're welcome.
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