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Bug of the Week: Thrips

The weather is warming, the sun is shining. Time for insects!

The tiny brown slivers in this flower are actually thrips. The easiest way to see them is to dump a flower upside down onto a white piece of paper.

If you have a microscope, look at the wings of adults. Thrips have a fringe of hairs on their wings.

I tried to get a better photograph with a doubler, but it was too windy. The flowers were bobbing around.

Caught a great photograph of a honey bee with it, though. I wonder how they interact with thrips.

Have you ever seen a thrips?

(Trivia:  Thrips is unusual because both the singular and plural forms are the same word: thrips.)

Seed of the Week: Cilantro-Coriander

Several of you recognized the seeds of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum) as our mystery seeds last week.

The coriander plant is a bit unusual because it has two names. The green leaves are called cilantro, and the seeds are called coriander.

Coriander is an annual that grows readily from seeds. In Arizona we grow it in the winter (this sprig is from my garden).

It produces white flowers that are a food source for beneficial insects.

Coriander and cilantro are favorites herbs for a a number of cuisines, including Mexican and Indian. It can be used instead of basil to make pesto, or can be used for chutney. We like fresh cilantro in salsa.

Some people dislike the taste of cilantro intensely. This article from the New York Times investigates why that might be the case.

Do you like cilantro? What about coriander?

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