Some good news - a new #gall #wasp paper from our group! This is one of my favorites so far - two new Diastrophus species, a review of “cryptic” galling (galls with no external sign of presence), and some novel hypotheses regarding evolution of gall inquilines. See more here: doi.org/10.1080/0022...

New paper from the Martinson Lab! A fun study where we find a nice example of cascading speciation and describe three new species. Plus some exciting data to suggest that ecological guild may influence the impacts of host-associated differentiation. A 🧵. #galls #insects 🧪 doi.org/10.1111/mec....

We are looking for a new Director of the Center for Advanced Research Computing at the University of New Mexico. If you, or anyone you know, has experience with advanced computing systems please follow the link. unm.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...

New #gall #wasp paper in PESW! We provide an updated key, checklist, and commentary for the four tribes of “herb gall wasps” including some nomenclatural changes. Check it out here: bioone.org/journals/pro...

go.bsky.app/8zZNEGV Great resource to connect early career folks with more senior scientists looking to hire postdocs! 🧪

Hey #Evol2025 - My colleague @waspvenom.bsky.social and I are looking for a postdoc for our #NSF - #USDA funded grant to understand the genetic basis of gall formation! Please see that attached ad, and feel free to talk to me @evolmtg.bsky.social, or contact Dr. Ellen Martinson directly!

If you see this post a flower🪷 The Rocky Mountain Irises are blooming in Northern New Mexico!

🚨Report your NSF grant terminations! 🚨 We are starting to collect information on NSF grant terminations to create a shared resource as we have for NIH. The more information we collect, the more we can organize, advocate, and fight back! Please share widely! airtable.com/appGKlSVeXni...

The Democrats on the House Science Committee have set up a website to collect stories from fired federal employees, anonymously if desired. Please amplify. (This helps the lawyers establish standing for bringing legal cases against the administration!) democrats-science.house.gov/sciencefirings

I lost my job at the National Science Foundation yesterday, along with 167 of my colleagues, including some dear friends. This was the best job I've ever had, and I thought it would be my last. The PI community has been sympathetic and supportive, without exception. I will miss working for you.

Gall midges and their parasitoids are abundant, megadiverse, and very hard to identify! Such "double dark taxa" systems present special challenges for ecology and agriculture. 🧵🧪🐙 @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @marinamoser.bsky.social @krogmann.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/aesa...

Posted with alt text 🧪

“Dead” plant stuff hold food for birds during winter, when food is scarce. Galls such as this goldenrod gall have insect larvae in them. You can see who knows what to do … 😊. My tiny brush again 🤓. #birdsinart #botanicalart #naturalhistoryart #SciArt #natureart #conservation #oneearth

Parasitoids FTW!!! Illustration in homage to Eric Carle by Sloan Tomlinson

Why do insect galls have such varied shapes even among closely related species?? The Enemy Hypothesis, posits that pressure from parasitoids drives the dynamic evolution of external gall traits. We have a new paper in @rsocpublishing.bsky.social on this hypothesis see more in this 🧵! 🧪 #galls

Why do insect galls have such varied shapes even among closely related species?? The Enemy Hypothesis, posits that pressure from parasitoids drives the dynamic evolution of external gall traits. We have a new paper in @rsocpublishing.bsky.social on this hypothesis see more in this 🧵! 🧪 #galls

Positively galling: a gallery of insect galls.

Last day of #nudivember, thought I’d draw attention to the amazing work of the Blaschka Glass nudibranchs and other invertebrates. Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, were a father and son team that started making glass eyes, but moved onto making extremely scientifically accurate marine invertebrates

Total Eclipse of the Heart Played on Increasingly Smaller Rubber Chickens

Thank you so much to whoever put this very comprehensive list of #science Bsky starter packs together. This is just amazing: docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Troudet et al 2017 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

We are less than two weeks away from the annual online meeting for the International Society of Hymenopterists. This year we again have four phenomenal keynote speakers, and it is completely free for members. For more information on how to sign up: www.hymenopterists.org/hymathon-202...

I guess I should re-post from the Bird Site "The Rules For Academic Success here": I always get asked for advice about starting/surviving the tenure track. Here are the rules I've found useful. Thought I'd put it out there for the masses... This list gets longer all the time

Vince and I are currently recruiting grad students for a variety of projects. Please pass on this flier to anyone you think would be interested!

#PostDoc opportunity with @waspvenom.bsky.social (& me) on the mystery of #gall formation! Funded by #NSF & #USDA. See details below and please RT!

Come join me in beautiful New Mexico!! Excited to be recruiting a 3 year postdoc for an NSF/USDA funded position. Please see the flyer below for all the details and reach out if you have any questions. Please RT and share with anyone who would be interested.

Our paper on speciation of oak gall inquilines is now published in Evolution: Like their oak gall wasp hosts, the divergence events of these two distantly related kleptoparasite genera are often associated with changes in tree habitat, gall location, and gall morphology.: doi.org/10.1093/evol...

Amazing work by Antoine and crew! It's mind-blowing to think how cynipids invest so many more resources in their venom glands than ovaries, it really shows how important these secretions are for getting a successful next generation.

I was on a collecting trip in southern Utah two weeks ago and discovered Goosenecks State Park. It is one of the most striking examples of an entrenched river meander (which is a great phase). You can camp wherever you like along the rim. Probably not great for small children, though.