A new insect identification hot line has been established at UC Davis to help Californians put a name to the bugs in their lives. People can simply dial 1-(900)-225-BUGS. Callers will pay $2 for the first minute and $1 for each additional minute. Students and staff members from the entomology department will be on hand between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to answer calls and identify both insects and spiders. If the request proves complicated and time-consuming, the caller will be transferred to a non-toll line. In particularly puzzling cases, callers may be asked to mail in a sample insect for identification. "This process is a lot like medical diagnostics, except we'll be diagnosing an organism, rather than a disease," says Lynn Kimsey, a professor of entomology, who is launching the new program. She hopes the new bug line, modeled after a highly successful program at the University of Minnesota.