Love love love this beautiful work :). Parthenogenesis notwithstanding, the convergent evolution with workerless parasites in the sister clade (Leptothoracine) is astonishing - multiple of those also have gynomorphic and ergatoid queens but no workers.

Holy cow, it’s spectacular

These are definitely Hymenopterans, don't worry about it

tinyurl.com/4twykhnx, tinyurl.com/2f72a6we Piekarski: “"If some environmental factor affects caste, it will affect size too,” “…As far as we can tell, no matter which environmental variable you manipulate, the [genetically encoded] relationship between ant body size and caste remains unchanged"

Handy tip from an 18th century medical guidebook – always remember to prepare your medicinal woodlice in the same manner as your bees

Correct. What comes for Harvard will come to others. There is not enough space nor $ to absorb students, postdocs, faculty, & labs. What happens when the administration attacks its next target? Protecting the project of American science & its benefits requires individual and collective action - now.

Don't post often but it feels important to add another example: my NIH grant (sole source for 3 people's salaries) was canceled due to a concern about Harvard undergraduates that has absolutely nothing to do with us or our important genetics research. We'll squeak through, but I'm PISSED.

jfc seriously what the heck

Charles Darwin the barnacle taxonomist, a story in two parts

Feel like I spent more time writing my DEI statement than some orgs have spent defending their DEI programs

Really fun conversation with Michael Levin (Tufts) today. Michael invited me to discuss ant castes for his YouTube channel after I reached out to ask his thoughts about hourglasses & intelligent behavior in development = ). Lots to learn fsho... www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Ob...

(me watching burglars break all the windows and climb into my house) “Just give it time. They might cut their hand on the glass.”

If you are one of those interesting people who like sausage-like ants, you are in for a treat: we just published in @zookeys.pensoft.net a taxonomic update for Afrotropical Zasphinctus describing 5 new species! You read that right FIVE! Happy 2025 for you as well zookeys.pensoft.net/article/1312...

⭐ 2024 Top Finds/Pics ⭐ I mean, do I even need to explain why? 😂 . . . This is a male stalk-eyed #fly from Costa Rica. Females lack the hammerhead while males "compare sizes" for a chance to mate. Evolution is magical 🪄 #Ulidiidae: #Plagiocephalus Collected by @flyliceresearch.bsky.social

Ugh I love these, they’re the BEST