Recently, I had the pleasure of donating peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) for an anonymous patient in need. Over 5 million PBSCs were harvested over a 7 hour period and transported overnight. This was made possible via the National Marrow Donor Program. Please consider joining the registry!

Photos: Deploying wood blocks 24 hours post-burn (credit: Andrew Seiler); Typical block inhabitant, Aphaenogaster rudis, carrying a pupa after evacuation from the block nesting cavity (credit: Ignatius Wirasakti); Block and inhabitants ready for transport back to the lab (credit: Kane Lawhorn).

New work by @kane-lawhorn.bsky.social et al. in #RESInsectConsDiv reports on how prescribed fire affects #arthropod occupancy of wood cavities in a temperate deciduous forest. doi.org/10.1111/icad.70079 #Biodiversity #Conservation @manusaunders.bsky.social @wileyecology.bsky.social

New paper out in Ecology focusing on one of the most striking insects I've ever had the privilege to see! This was a fun collaboration led by @benitoexplains.bsky.social with captivating images by @zekerowe.bsky.social

I will have an opening for a Ph.D. student (M.S. required) to begin Summer 2026, studying impacts to high Appalachian arthropod communities following Hurricane Helene. I'll be at Ent. Soc. America meetings next week. Please point interested students my way. More: sites.google.com/site/caterin...

Lots of spider activity today in this bottomland hardwood forest! Tetragnatha sp., Dolomedes sp., and Neoscona domiciliorum Brunswick Co., NC

Now I see why these are called "boogie-woogie aphids". Disturbing the branch causes the aphids to shake their behinds! Grylloprociphilus imbricator

Amazing intro for episode 3 of Bugs that Rule the World on @pbs.org, featuring @the-bug-hut.bsky.social!

As someone who often speculates on the model of a salticid's mimicry - it's SO satisfying to come across a scene like this: (Peckhamia sp ant-mimicking jumping spider among Crematogaster sp ants on a picnic table in woods, NE OK)

The alemdro tree doesn't just survive lightning strikes--it appears to use the electricity to fry parasites and kill competitors. Fascinating story by @erikstokstad.bsky.social for @science.org!

Always a treat to stumble upon Ophiocordyceps infected ants. Pictured are two of the ~15 infected individuals I found in the Piedmont of NC. Every individual exhibited "leg wrapping" behavior on live beech twigs. These red ants blended in remarkably well with the red leaf buds on each stem!

Check out this "shocking"⚡ new study in Ecology & its accompanying photo gallery in our Bulletin!👇

Happy to see one of my Panama Ph.D. chapters finally out today in Ecology (doi.org/10.1002/ecy....) and Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (doi.org/10.1002/bes2...). This work explores how insect and fungi respond to a widespread disturbance in lowland tropical forest—lightning 🌩! (1/8)

Oops all flies! Despite the snowy conditions across North Carolina, the flies are out and about. #SLAMTrap

With temps dropping here in NC, these #SwampSalticids (Platycryptus undatus) constructed small silken sleeping sacks for the winter. #WinterFieldWork

For my first post, here's some interesting looking beetles (Brentus caudatus and Megasoma sp.) collected on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Enjoy!