Scientists! @skypeascientist.bsky.social matches scientists with classrooms, libraries, & more for virtual Q&As! It's easy and fun! We are looking for 750 more volunteers by 8/15 If you're down to chat with 1-5 classrooms this semester, sign up here www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html

There's a new episode of the Arthro-Pod podcast out. We interviewed @toomanywasps.bsky.social about gall wasps, especially the understudied herb gall wasps. www.podbean.com/eas/pb-xcecc...

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...

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...

RT for anyone who might want to know more about free flashcard software for memorizing things Such as bug names

*Thesaurus.com is garbage and has been for a long time. Does anyone have recommendations for a better equivalent?

I've been told that it's #InsectWeek and that I should plug my work. I'm so bad at marketing... Uhhhhh... Buy my books...! www.owlflyllc.com/publishing

OH MY GOD it's online and it's free!! I made it for YOU keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/botw/

Please enjoy this ridiculously cute butterfly, which was about the size of my pinkie fingernail. It's in the butterfly family called metalmarks (Riodinidae). Males, like these, have reduced front legs and perch using only the rear 4 (females can use all 6). Sarota acantus; Costa Rica 🐙🌿 #insects

My defense went extremely well, so it’s time to update your contacts to Dr. Nastasi!!! We recorded the seminar for anyone who was unable to attend over zoom- send me a DM if interested!

According to a 2021 report, the University of California system: • generated $82B in economic activity in California • supported 529K jobs in the state • generated $21 in economic output for every $1 received Public divestment from higher ed makes no sense, even in the narrowest economic terms.

It's a good time to remind folks that you can't do the "high impact big picture studies" without the "not worth publication because it's only of regional interest" localities and the "merely specimen ID and taxonomy" research.

Hey folks, my #entomology doctoral #dissertation defense seminar is May 30th from 2-3pm Eastern / 6-7pm UTC! Join in person in at 118 ASI or via Zoom (info on flyer or DM me for a direct link!). Come learn about my five years of #gall #wasp #research!

Just sent my dissertation to my committee... time to start preparing for my defense on May 30th!

So my girlfriend is an amazing stop motion animator, and she recently did a medieval cat themed bumper for Adult Swim! Sharing it here because she only has Instagram and I think everyone needs to see her animations. She's so freaking talented, y'alls. PLEASE go follow her!

Posting this rather colorful and snazzy-looking gall midge (Cecidomyiidae) I found in the Mojave Desert recently for #flyweek !

Thanks for your encouragement, folks. As always, it gives me a little shot of enthusiasm. Here's a look at some more of my concept pages. My idea was to have some general pages that explain the fundamentals, then focus on individuals.

Important to remind everyone that this is an ILLEGAL DIRECTIVE from the Executive Branch (impoundment).

🔔BREAKING🔔 The NSF has frozen all research grant awards—cutting off life-saving science midstream and demanding ideological screenings for future funding. This is censorship disguised as oversight. Here’s how you can help us spread the word ➡️🧵(1/3): www.nature.com/articles/d41...

The National Science Foundation, a major government funder of basic science research, is being shaken up with over 1,000 grants already terminated and the White House looking to halve its budget.

The Human Genome Project cost taxpayers $3 Billion. Two decades on, it has generated a staggering return on investment of $1 Trillion, with benefits in medicine, agriculture, energy, the environment, & more. If you want to boost the economy, funding science is one of the best things you could do.

A little over a month left of my time in Quito, and things are coming together. Here's one of my working drawers, freshly supplied with type labels. This is about a quarter of the new species I'll end up describing. Nice to see it reaching this stage!

Should we make Hello From The Herbarium a thing?? Thank you @nybg.bsky.social for letting me play in the orchid collections! (I think this also counts as an #invertefest post thanks to Xanthopan morganii praedicta's co-starring role)

#withoutNSF, we would know 412 fewer beetle species. Under NSF-DEB grants we have described 101 new US species and >300 neotropical ones, launching the careers of 6 postdocs, 4 PhD students, and providing experience to dozens of undergrads. NSF knows we can't protect what we do not know.

As the saying goes, “If you can keep your head while those around you are losing theirs, perhaps you don’t understand the situation.” Americans aren’t smart enough to be alarmed. This is the nation that elected a demented sociopath to lower the price of eggs— they’re hopeless.

Please consider picking up a field guide from Owlfly Publishing today! A majority of our revenue goes towards clean tech development and biodiversity research. Also the books are full of bug facts. Double win. www.owlflyllc.com/publishing

Since we’re in a golden age of new Star Wars tv shows, I’ll again pitch “David Attenborough style nature documentaries but of fictional Star Wars creatures.” No empire. No Jedi. Like, what the Jedi would watch on tv to relax after a stressful mission.

TLDR: the administration wants to remove habitat loss from the definition of "harm" for endangered species, which will effectively gut the ESA. I just commented. If you're in any way interested in ecology, nature, and the protection of endangered species, you should, too. Free daily action!

Please take 30 seconds to comment on this insane attempt to destroy the #Endangered Species Act!!!

inject this shit directly into my veins star wars is a ridiculous universe with space wizards and laser swords and apparently all I ever wanted was someone to take it completely seriously as a "how does this work in practice" study of fascism the way Andor does

Everyone should know about GBIF. It's an international biodiversity data aggregator. Museum collections, apps like eBird and iNaturalist, published datasets from the technical literature, all in one place. www.gbif.org

so they're mycoblogging

No one does Easter eggs quite like stick and leaf insects do www.frontiersin.org/journals/eco...

Thrilled to share our globally pioneering research on DNA metabarcoding of spider egg sacs! A proud moment for Indian science - revealing novel host-parasitoid complexes and trophic networks. #DNAmetabarcoding #IndianScience #Biodiversity #Hymenoptera #Spider www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Miles is out here with his painter's brush weaving together beautiful tapestries and art of various wasps with the mastery of Raphael. Truly a sight to behold!

Our global phylogeny of Eurytomidae is now published in Systematic Entomology @respublications.bsky.social resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

New #gall #wasp paper from our lab! We review the genera of Phanacidini herb gall wasps, present the first record from China, and identify a new tribal diagnostic character! Now onto revising the species and genera… every synonymized genus needs to be resurrected! www.mapress.com/zt/article/v...

Save the native pollinators

I just landed in San Salvador a little while ago, and I look forward to meeting with the team at the U.S. embassy to discuss the release of Mr. Abrego Garcia. I also hope to meet with Salvadoran officials and with Kilmar himself. He was illegally abducted and needs to come home.

🚨Attention Members of the DC Bar🚨 Ballots went out today for key positions in the DC bar. Please vote for: Diane Seltzer for President Amanda Molina for Treasurer Note: Seltzer is running against Pam Bondi's brother. Get your ballot and vote ASAP.

In defiance of the Supreme Court & without any evidence, the White House claims that Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a “terrorist,” who was “sent to the right place.” This is a blatant LIE. He is innocent. He cannot be allowed to rot in an El Salvadorian jail. He must be brought home.

Mr Crown Wasp (Megischus bicolor), an extremely derpy long boy wasp. I'd only seen two others, both female. 🖤

A must see video from @ehmee.bsky.social about the loss of funding for museums and libraries youtu.be/fYLC-KWy-Ks?...

A very cooperative chalcid wasp, smaller than a grain of rice (~3mm), yet dazzling. When people ask “Why bugs?”, I show them insects like this. Metallic, red-eyed, and basically a real-life xenomorph in biology. 🪲🪳 #Invertebrate #macrophotography #Chalcidoidea 🌿 #entomology #hymenoptera

Shrimps is bugs? No, it’s kinda the other way around. Insects are technically crustaceans, which highlights the importance of systematics in understanding how evolution unfolds. My latest for @smithsonianmag.bsky.social.

#taxonomy / #nomenclature question! Ashmead described the #gall #wasp genus Pseudaulax with type species Cynips hieracii (Linnaeus). The identity of this species is very unstable (possibly many species with lots of historical confusion). Pseudaulax is presently a synonym of Aulacidea Ashmead. (cont)

Our Observation of the Day is this beetle (potentially in the genus Cyphagogus), seen in China by jiangyou! More details at: www.inaturalist.org/observations...