Got my hands on this amazing social insects trump card game, developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social & her team to support inclusion bursaries for IUSSI conferences. It even has my favourite bee 😍🐝! If you want your own, for fun, outreach or teaching: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

Congrats also to Dylan Thatcher and Alexis Gkantiragas for winning the prize for best student talks and to Cassandra Uthoff and Annie Joseph for the being awarded with the best poster prizes.

The @iussi-nwes.bsky.social that we organised this week in Leuven (18-19 December, www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings) was a success! @rmash.bsky.social and @patrick-kennedy.bsky.social delivered fantastic keynote talks and there was a great set of contributed talks and posters.

My first experimental PhD paper is finally out! 🎉 We investigate trace conditioning in honeybees and its links to awareness processes and serotonin 🐝🧠 Combining behaviour, computational modelling (by Andrea Alamia), and neuropharmacology ⭐ Read it here: doi.org/10.1016/j.is...

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social talks about so many fun social evolution dramas at @iussi-nwes.bsky.social winter meeting #wasplove

@rmash.bsky.social from @ucl.ac.uk opening @iussi-nwes.bsky.social winter meeting in Leuven! #CareAsACapacitor

POSTDOC ALERT🚨 Two exciting social evolution postdoc positions live today! We're looking for two excellent field biologists. Join us to explore the evolution of sociality in wasps across Africa. Apply by 11th January. Collaboration with @dustinrubenstein.com @bristolbiosci.bsky.social

One week left to register for our Winter meeting in Leuven 🐝 🐜 🪳 🕷️ 🌺 👇👇👇

Bumbling around over what to get your loved ones for Christmas? Look no further! Your answer to fun, learning & festive family competition is here. Social insects trump cards, available at the Winter Meeting. Order today: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi All proceeds go to funding inclusion bursaries.

Still 2 weeks left to register for our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪! Register here: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: 18-19 Dec Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution @KU Leuven (@twenseleers.bsky.social) We have an exciting programme, incl. Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

🚨 Deadline to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December has been extended to 31st October 2025 🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

New research article! 📰 Cavallo & @patdettorre.bsky.social examined behavioral traits, showing consistency over time, with no correlation between exploration and aggression 🐜 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #AntBehavior #ExploratoryActivity #Aggression #Colony #Personality #EvoEco #Ants

You like card games & social insects? Then check out the amazing new Social Insects Trump cards game developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social and her group. It's the perfect 🐜🐝🪳-themed gift and you'll support the IUSSI widening participation & inclusion initiative: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

You like card games & social insects? Then check out the amazing new Social Insects Trump cards game developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social and her group. It's the perfect 🐜🐝🪳-themed gift and you'll support the IUSSI widening participation & inclusion initiative: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

🚨 Still 10 days left to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December; 🚨 Registration is now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings

🚨 Still 10 days left to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December; 🚨 Registration is now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

And of course, don't miss our paper out now in @currentbiology.bsky.social: www.cell.com/current-biol...

🌟Looking for a PhD? 🌟 check out this exciting opportunity in integrative biology with an amazing PI! 👇🏽👇🏽

📌North-West European IUSSI Winter Meeting 2025 We are happy to announce that our next meeting on the 18–19 December 2025 will be in Leuven, Belgium, hosted by @twenseleers.bsky.social and his team. Plenary speakers: Ido Pen & Rahia Mashoodh @rmash.bsky.social More details to follow 🐝🐜🪳🪲

So fab to hear these stories of dining with wasps! PLEASE submit your observations on the #HamOrJam #WaspPicnicSurvey to help us learn more about how wasp preferences change with season and location. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... @uclnews.bsky.social @uclcber.bsky.social #WaspLove

New research article! 📰 Kovac et al. measured CO₂ production in Polistes wasp larvae/pupae using respirometry, revealing different metabolic rate for P. gallicus larvae and P. biglumis. 📈 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #WaspEcology #Metabolism #Physiology #Paperwasp #Pupa #Climate

New research article! 📰 Das & Gordon monitored the disposal of seed husks in colonies, showing consistent disposal delays only under certain conditions🗑 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #WasteManagement #Pogonomyrmex #NestMaintenance #Ants #NestHygiene #Foraging #TaskAllocation

New short communication! 📄 Richardson et al. used hand-feeding experiments and a cross-fostering design to demonstrate that larval size reduction stems from impaired adult brood care, not direct pesticide toxicity. 🧪 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #BeeHealth #Ecotoxicology #Bumblebees

🚨Just published🚨In Bolivia’s Yungas, we studied 3 rescued stingless bees sp. We found distinct foraging patterns within & among species → niche partitioning at multiple levels. 🐝🪻🌺#Pollination #Meliponini #Neotropics doi.org/10.1111/btp.70… @biotropica.bsky.social with @pammsantana.bsky.social

Entomology could be key in the fight against super-resitant bacteria 🦠! According to several recent studies, social insects have simbiotic relationships with bacteria that produce antibiotics capable of inhibiting the growth of many human pathogens 👉 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

New research article! 📰 Farji-Brener et al. found foragers with ≥6 hitchhikers drop leaves more often, but naturally carry ≤5, balancing defense with transport efficiency. ⚖ 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #Foraging #EvolutionaryTradeoffs #LeafcutterAnts #Behavior #Atta #AmazonianForest

@ltgoncalves.bsky.social ‪@pedropezzi.bsky.social @mdepra.bsky.social @francosoe.bsky.social analyzed mitonuclear coevolution in 55 bumblebee species, finding strong evolutionary rate correlations between mitochondrial and nuclear-interacting genes. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf123 #genome #bees

📢 Workshops at Behaviour 2025 📢 We are delighted to present a range of workshops at Behaviour 2025! These workshops are thoughtfully designed to offer hands-on, skill-based training across a range of topics from behavioural and cognitive sciences to journal publishing and science communication.

The SSE Education and Outreach Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Small Grants for Local and Regional Outreach! These provide funding for public lectures, exhibits, student competitions, and more programs around the world. www.evolutionsociety.org/news/display...

💡 New learning opportunity - FREE course on Indigenous Peoples, gender & biodiversity! 🧪 Learn to develop gender-responsive approaches for conservation projects & policies aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 🌏 ✍️ Enroll here:

Why join #DZG2025 in Berlin? Reason #5: Discover the outstanding invited speakers across our eight subject groups! This conference showcases the incredible diversity of zoological research. Early Bird ends June 11th. web: dzg-meeting.de #share #like dzg-meeting.de/en/program/i...

💥💥 Our annual conference #ABL2025 is back! 💥💥 Join us 13–14 Nov 2025 for 2 exciting days: 🔹 6 sessions 🔹 6 stellar plenaries 🔹 Talks & posters on diverse topics 🔹 Global-friendly time zones 🌍 Mark your calendar 📅 and don't miss #ABL2025! 📌 Stay tuned—registration details will be announced soon

PhD student grants for research in ecology and evolution: www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...

Registration for the 5th annual SORTEE conference (Oct 15-16) is open! Join us for discussions in ecology and evolution. More info: https://www.sortee.org/upcoming/ and membership: https://www.sortee.org/join. #conference

📢📝 REGISTRATIONS OPEN! ⏰️📄 CALL FOR ABSTRACTS OPEN!

🐜👵 Ant queens can live for years and years. Ant workers usually don't, unless they have activated their ovaries. Lots of movement in this topic, and a nice review to help us out! The pace and shape of ant ageing - a review doi.org/10.1111/brv....

Dancing honey bees have individual styles (calibrations) in distance communication, and this individuality underpins recruitment success. Check out our paper in Curr Biol demonstrating that, like so many things, variation is key to success. Photo creds LC McHenry & R Schurch. doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

Dr. Charles Henry Turner was from Ohio; he earned a BSc and MSc from the University of Cincinnati. He was the first African American to earn a PhD in #entomology, which was at the University of Chicago in 1907. #28DaysOfBlackSTEMHistory #BlackHistoryMonth www.smithsonianmag.com/science-natu...

How do complex social behaviors evolve and shape species' success? Here doi.org/10.1038/s420... we reveal how a key social behavior in ants - mouth-to-mouth food sharing #trophallaxis - emerged as ants opportunistically exploited new ecological niches as terrestrial environments changed.

Excited to share our latest research on #bumblebee #transcriptomics 🐝 🧬 We show that #neonicotinoid effects vary across tissues, highlighting their complex and harmful impacts on #pollinators doi.org/10.1016/j.sc... @flopezos.bsky.social @yannickwurm.bsky.social

🐝 3-year Postdoc position 🐝 Join us @bristolbiosci.bsky.social to study the impacts of parasitic bees on tropical bee communities using eDNA, SNPs & field-based surveys. 📅 Deadline: 23 Feb 2025 💃Vibrant city 🌎 Collaboration with USP 🇧🇷 🐝 Details here: tinyurl.com/586u7vau @leverhulme.bsky.social

Ants hold grudges (Bey et al. 2025).

🐜 Ants learn to recognize enemy colonies through associative learning - when attacked, they link the attacker's colony scent with aggression. This explains why ants are often more aggressive toward neighboring colonies they've fought before. www.cell.com/current-biol...

Big THANK YOU to outgoing section president Prof. @elvarobinson.bsky.social and secretary Dr. Chris Pull for their work & leadership during an eventful period, driving progress and pushing exciting new ideas & initiatives 🐜🐝🐜🐝🐜🐝🐜🐝🐜🐝🐜 #IUSSI24 #IUSSI

So many amazing student contributions at the #IUSSI24 meeting🔥🔥🔥 and in particular... ...huge congratulations to the winners of student prizes: 🏆Ellie Cooper Coombs (talk) 🏆Szymon Szymanski (talk) 🏆Charlotte Fryday (poster) 🏆 @victoriamallinson.bsky.social (poster) Thanks also to the judges!

@iussi-nwes.bsky.social 2024 conference at QMUL off to a very strong start with a fascinating talk by Guillaume Chomicki on what ant-plant interactions can tell us about evolution #IUSSI #IUSSI24

Lots of @bristolbiosci.bsky.social representation at #IUSSI2024

Honoured to receive the Highly Commended Poster award at the IUSSI NW European Section Meeting 2024! My poster explored how anthropogenic electric fields affect honeybee foraging 🐝 Such a rewarding experience to share this work. Thank you to everyone at @iussi-nwes.bsky.social #IUSSI2024 #IUSSI24