Steven Hammer, one of our regular collection users, co-developed a new #insect pinning block, with staff and volunteers from the museum. It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself: cults3d.com/en/3d-model/... #ECN2025

Are you a POC student, early career researcher, or professional entomologist from a country in the Global South? We are now funding memberships! Apply from October 1st to December 15th. More info: www.entopoc.org/apply.html Apply: docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLS...

Original Riker mounts by inventor Clarence Riker held at @denvermuseumns.bsky.social , presented by Genevieve Anderegg! 😍 The cabinets are just as intricate as the insects held within!Though lacking in collection data, lots of educational & natural history research value once imaged! #ECN2025

We're at #ECN2025 in Portland, Oregon! We're passionate about entomological collections, which is why we published some of last year's ECN in a special topical collection: nhcm.pensoft.net/topical_coll... Check out the @pensoft.net stand for our latest news!

It's almost the weekend! 🥳 If you're looking for something for you and/or your kids to do, I've recently re-uploaded my arthropod coloring guide 🎨 Please feel free to share, print, and [definitely] have fun with it!!! drive.google.com/file/d/1V59i...

If you attended the @entcollnet.bsky.social meeting last year in Phoenix, you may have met some of our youngest attendees, Connor Hsu & Cole Crammer. Here they are with @drfirefly.bsky.social! They’re now in 11th grade and this year they’re back to deliver their first ever ECN talk! [1/3]

How the creation of a school insect collection project, led to the discovery of Amblycheila cylindriformis in Montana… bioone.org/journals/the... Marian Kirst reminds us of the value of being a “filthy generalist” and the importance of building strong local connections. #ECN2025

🧡 @americanbeetles.bsky.social has really delivered again, with stickers for our meeting. Behold… the most adorable Rain beetle you have ever seen! 😍 #ECN2025

This was such a fascinating and uplifting story of the evolution of a collection. What Chris has managed to achieve for the Oregon State Arthropod Collection is remarkable. 🥹👏 #ECN2025

Next year we will have speed trials for assembling Chris Wirth’s portable focus stacking camera system

Super useful tips & tricks for insect specimen imaging from @andrewjohnston.bsky.social! He shares how to build an affordable focus stacking system on your own. Handy guide available here: www.insectid.org/post/focus-s... #ECN2025 📸 🪲

This was very impressive! 📸

It’s time for #ECN2025 - my favourite annual meeting, entirely focused on #insect collections! This year we’re in Portland, Oregon. 🪲 Follow @entcollnet.bsky.social to keep up with the hot topics of the weekend. (🤫 Yes, I’m a board member but no I am not biased!)

Huge welcome to all you lovely folks joining us today, both in-person and online! Great to have so many first-timers! Let’s get to it, with a welcome from our President @drfirefly.bsky.social! #ECN2025

Great to see nominations here for the wonderful @ashwhiffin.bsky.social and Lauriston farm as well as the great work being done by the Community Engagement team @thebotanics.bsky.social

Interested in communicating your science to a wider audience? 🔍🐝 Then this is for you! @royentsoc.bsky.social Outreach Special Interest Group meeting is in beautiful #Edinburgh 22nd Nov With workshops by @ashwhiffin.bsky.social, the bug farm, TVs Nick Baker & many more 🎉 (& the Xmas markets on!)

Tired of stepping in it? Dung beetles, like this rainbow scarab, evolved to be experts at breaking down dung and evening burying it in the soil! 💩🪲 Discover the many types of dung beetles, why they are in trouble, & how we can help ⤵️ xerces.org/blog/all-abo...

⏰ Abstract deadline extended - join the programme by submitting your research by Friday 24 October 🦋 Join us at our Outreach, Culture & Education SIG to network with like-minded people and plan your next outreach venture. 📍 National Museum Scotland 📅 22 Nov 2025 Register now 🔽

Lovely to see Ashleigh Whiffin on #GardenersWorld tonight. A very worthy finalist for the Outstanding Contribution award in this year’s #NatureOfScotland Awards! www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Back in June, we hosted a team from #GardenersWorld to share how we’ve been improving the grounds of the National Museums Collection Centre for biodiversity. 🎬 🐞🪰🌿🌼 Catch it here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis... #NMCCbiodiversity

@ashwhiffin.bsky.social excellent film just now on Gardeners World. Great encouragement to enhance the biodiversity of sites

Join our call for UK retailers to remove synthetic pesticides from sale, for a wilder, butterfly-filled future 👇 butterflyemergency.good.do/rescue-missi...

We're pleased that the @parliament.scot Rural Affairs and Islands Committee has backed proposals in the Natural Environment Bill to introduce statutory targets to restore nature. Nature targets are a key demand of our Scotland Loves Nature campaign. Read more: www.scotlink.org/msps-back-na...

You can find out more about our #NMCCbiodiversity work by tuning into Gardeners World this Friday, at 8pm on BBC TWO. 📺 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Rain beetles are SO FLUFFY! Now that we have your attention, don’t forget that Early-bird registration for #ECN2025 ends today. Don’t miss out! ➡️ www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-ecn-p... 📷 Pleocoma oregonensis, from Cornell University Insect Collection.

Bugs to make you go “Ooooh!” 😲🤩

A most welcome visitor to our site this week… A Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), soaking up the late September sun. It’s the first one recorded on our patch since 2021! #NMCCbiodiversity

Absolutely nobody asked for this but I reformatted my animal yeetability thread into printable poster & zine files. Introducing, the "Pocket Guide to Responsible & Sustainable Animal YEETING" featuring a revamped rating system. Download links below.

PLEASE READ! No more #BeeWashing. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Are you researching the conservation, ecology or taxonomy of soil & litter invertebrates? Submit your paper to this Special Issue of NZ Journal of Zoology, edited by me, @carlosbarreto.bsky.social & @barnesecodiv.bsky.social! More info: www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/nzjz-so... #SoilBiodiversity 🧪

Shhhh 🤫 *whispers* the moth meeting is in progress. They have very serious business to discuss.

Squid traps really delivered this weekend :)

I started a blog and my first post is online! The posts will try to explore topics which are not typically covered by introductory literature and textbooks, e.g. because they are considered to be "too basic". Let me know what you think! weevil-see.github.io/taxonomy/Ide...

🪲 Weevils! The UK boasts 600+ species, almost as many as birds! Join us on 13 Oct (7–8pm) for an entoLIVE with @markgurn.bsky.social to explore their ecology, habitats & quirky plant preferences. It is FREE!!! Don’t miss it! 🧪 🌎 🔗 Sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1491232379...

An opportunity of a lifetime for budding lichenologists. The National Trust and the Royal Botanics, Edinburgh are offering a PAID lichen traineeship in #Scotland! The work programme looks fascinating and a great opportunity to develop skills. Deadline: 3/10/2025. www.asva.co.uk/jobs/trainee...

Talk titles for #ECN2025 are due TODAY! Just titles today folks! Full abstracts (of no more than 150 words) must be submitted by the Sept 26th. Don’t delay, submit your titles now: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Insects across the UK are in crisis. 🚨 Which is why we’ve joined forces with Buglife and @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social to create the Big Insect Rescue Plan – and we need your help to shape it! Have your say here 👉 butterfly-conservation.org/big-insect-r...

Being a taxonomist is more than just being a taxonomist, and Ashleigh knows it. 🌼 It can open doors to a wide range of career opportunities—and we’ve got proof! 👇 #taxonomy #jobsearch #jobs #biodiversity

Talk titles for #ECN2025 are due this Friday (29th)! Full abstracts (of no more than 150 words) must be submitted by the Sept 26th. Don’t delay, submit your titles now: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

🌱 BHL’s Call for Support soft-closes on Aug 31. 🧪 With @clirnews.bsky.social as our new fiscal sponsor, we now have an administrative & financial home, but we still need partners, hosts, funders & long-term investment to secure BHL's future. about.biodiversitylibrary.org/call-for-sup... #ILoveBHL

Registration for the 2025 Entomological Collections Network meeting is now open! 🪲 Join us in Portland November 8-9, in-person or online. For full details and to submit your talk title, head to our website: ecnweb.net/welcome/meet... #ECN2025

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

Loving this wasps-in-the-media summer! I think the message is shifting… the scare-mongering is finally giving over to a more positive message about wasps and their role in ecosystems. More about why you should love wasps here: harpercollins.co.uk/products/end... www.bbc.com/news/article...

The Big Butterfly Count 2025 is here and butterflies need our help 🦋🚨 This isn't just a survey, it's a rescue mission, and we need everyone to get involved. No lab coats. No science degrees. Just 15 minutes of your time. ⏱️ Get out for the count 👉 bigbutterflycount.org

No more Beewashing please! Why beekeeping doesn't help conserve bees. Pls RT if you agree. youtu.be/fiBYBmlKSYU

Last week I showed Mark Stephen, from BBC Radio Scotland, around the grounds of the National Museums Collection Centre. We chatted about how we’re managing the site for biodiversity 🌱🐛 📻 Catch up on the episode here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... #WildflowerHour #NMCCbiodiversity

Reasons not to mow (24): Ablattaria laevigata on unmown lawn today in Bengeo garden, nationally scarce wingless snail predator. Very local in Herts & only found on free-draining chalk & gravel soils. @ashwhiffin.bsky.social #SmoothSnailHunter

Very excited to say that we are seeking an Assistant Curator to join our entomology team! 😁🪲 For full details on this 2 year fixed-term post, head to our website: ➡️ careers.nms.ac.uk/job/727783 #Entomology #InsectCollection #EntoJobs #MuseumJobs

Here are your Saturday Skippers. Skippers are (often) small, fast butterflies with chunky, fuzzy bodies, big eyes, and (often) earth-tone colors. These were at the National Museums Collection Center in Edinburgh, Scotland, where my wife & I had an amazing visit hosted by @ashwhiffin.bsky.social. 🌿🐙