iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

After darkness, light! 🙇🏻 Processing our samples and analysing diversity and abundances will reveal all! 📊 📻 Stay tuned to find out more about the results of our experiment!

UV light trap on during the post-eclipse period at night. The purple ultraviolet LED light contrasts with the dark sky.

Source: my own
Author: A. Sánchez Albert

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

The sampling included: 🪤 Handmade traps deployed at 10 sampling points 🥼 12 collaborators from different institutions, led by @bughuntertom.bsky.social. 🧪 Reference surveys to test the effects of the eclipse within each site One of our main hypotheses is that an earlier response is triggered! 💭

Picture of me preparing the trap for sampling in the same spot.

Source: my own
Author: M. Alamo del Olmo

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

On 12 August, during the solar eclipse, we set up several UV light traps along its trajectory. 🗺️🌑 Why? To study how flying insects respond to this unique natural phenomenon! 🪲🪰🐝 www.ebd.csic.es/en/outreach/...

View of one of the 'Phalaena' traps that were deployed during pre-sampling in a dry clearing in a pine forest (Pinus pinaster) at Fuentelcarro (Soria, Spain).

Source: my own
Author: A. Sánchez Albert

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Dr Modolell was extremely meticulous and professional, but labelling specimens 'a posteriori' can come at a cost ⚠️ Also, we cannot rule out cross-contamination between specimens during storage. Although this is unlikely! 🌻 Anyway, Dr Modolell's legacy continues to advance science! 🧪

Image of Dr Juan Modolell Mainou digitising his own collection at home before passing away in 2023.

Source: Inés Modolell
Photo credits: unknown

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Firstly, we checked wether the collection event had taken place: ✅ A note and a picture revealed that he was in the indicated locality in that date Secondly, we took a look at the cuticular particle profile using SEM microscopy: ✅ Particles were congruent with the specimen's presence in Spain

Collage showing documentary proof of J. Modolell's presence at the collection site on the date of collection. Left: expenses incurred during his trip to Rascafría (in pesetas!). On the right is a cropped and blurred image of J. Modolell posing with his colleagues during a lab meeting in the village.

Source: Figure 2 of the paper
Photo credits: Inés Modolell and Peter Lawrence

Collage showing some of the particles found in the cuticle of the specimen: (a) a Lepidoptera wing scale and (b) a Poaceae pollen grain.

The image has been cropped. In the background is an image of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) taken during the microscopy session.

Source: Figure 3 of the paper
Photo credits: Adrián Sánchez and Marta Furió

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

While processing the entomology collection of Dr J. Modolell, we found a Neotropical #Acentroptera leaf beetle! 🔍🪲 The weirdest thing about it, though, was its label, which stated that the collection site was in central Spain. 🏷️🇪🇸 Impossible! Unless...

A collage of two images showing, from left to right: the original entomological box, in which the specimen was found, and a high res picture of the specimen labels.

The collection label states: "Rascafría, P. [province] Madrid, 2-4 October 1998, J. Modolell"

Source: my own
Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Between error and discovery ⚖️ #NHMs house lots of labelled specimens; some representing occurrences outside spp known distributions! 🗺️🪲 But, how do we know we are seeing an actual collection event rather than a mislabelling error? Today we talk about an unresolved case! ⤵️ doi.org/10.7717/peer...

A collage of two images showing a high-resolution dorsal photograph of a brownish beetle (Acentroptera norrisii), and the screenshot of the cited article titled: "The enigmatic historical record of the leaf beetle Acentroptera norrisii in Spain: failed biological introduction or curatorial artefact?".

Source: my own
Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 19/03/2026

Leer en un cuaderno de campo del siglo pasado que "hay mucha gente" en la Sierra de Guadarrama es, cuanto menos, curioso ¿Cuánto sería "mucha gente" para Don J. M. Dusmet en el año 1915? El síndrome de la línea base cambiante en su máximo esplendor.

Captura de una anotación de J. M. Dusmet (1915): "10ª [salida al campo], Cercedilla. 1° Agosto. Barranco Fuenfría hasta el puerto. Día bueno y muchos insectos, pero mucha gente."

Procedente de la página 89 del Cuaderno 3° de la serie "Cazas entomológicas":
URL: http://simurg.csic.es/view/990000347660304201/cuadernos-de-las-cazas-entomologicas?q=filter,parents,equals,1459831

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Last but not least, here is a detail from a painting. Not every piece tells a story of adoration...

A detail from a painting showing a child hardly pulling a lamb to the place where adults are slaughtering other farm animals.

The painting is titled 'Arrival in Dizful of the Governor of Loristan and Arabistan and the Vice-Consul of Spain' and was painted by José Pellicer Feñé (1877).

Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid, Spain)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Let's jump to another era! How about a reptile-themed dinner? This dish, made of fine ceramics from the 19th century, is shared by a lizard and a snake 🦎

Ceramic centrepiece depicting a lizard and a snake. Royal Porcelain Factory of Buen Retiro, 18th century.

Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid, Spain)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

I really enjoy searching for ancient human representations of nature in anthropological museums. If you zoom in, you can appreciate the dynamism of this Palaeolithic carving of a deer on a shoulder blade! 🔍

Decorated shoulder blade - Lower Magdalenian
Cueva del Castillo (Puente Viesgo, Cantabria)

Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid, Spain)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Still obsessed with the Egyptian mini-sculptures of frogs that I saw at the Museo Nacional de Antropología last week

Seated frogs made of faience and carnelian (Egiptian Late Period, ca. 664–332 BC).

From Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid, Spain)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Genus fact sheets, guidance during identification sessions and quizzes, as well as fieldwork! 🧩 All in the same week! It's time to get to know the bee-diversity hotspot that is the Iberian Peninsula better! #NameItToSaveIt 🇪🇸🤝🏼🇵🇹

Detail of one of the entomological boxes with pinned and labelled bee specimens brought to practice ID.

Borrowed by FLOWer Lab (Univ. of Coimbra).

A live male Panurgus in a plastic tube. Collected from the CISE pollinator garden.

Eight bee specimens were mounted on a foam plate and left to dry with pins.

All specimens were collected in accordance with standard practices, identified and labelled, and will be integrated into several NH collections.

Disclaimer: I collected the specimens for training purposes during the course.

A pinned bee specimen in my hand. I don't remember the ID. It's cuticle shows metallic reflections –maybe a tiny male Seladonia? Below the specimen is a collection label.

This specimen belonged to the aforementioned FLOWer Lab.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Attending last week's basic #EPICBEE course in #Seia was a delight! 🇵🇹 Hugo Gaspar, Piluca Álvarez and Albano Soares were all fantastic teachers 🧑🏻‍🏫. I'm looking forward to the intermediate courses! 🎓 Training para-taxonomists to empower EU #taxonomy and tackle the pollinator's crisis! 📉🇪🇺

From left to right are H. Gaspar, P. Álvarez and A. Soares, during the first session of the course.

They are standing in the main room of the Centro de Interpretação da Serra da Estrela (CISE).

Patricia García Pereira (Tagis) is preparing the room where the theoretical and identification lessons will take place at CISE. This is the first day of the course.

On the table arranged in a U-shape, there are several prepared binocular lenses.

Group photo of all fourteen course attendees, plus the teachers and Paula Gonçalves, the organisation manager, at the main door of CISE.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

'I don't want to drown; I want to swim! I want to swim with people; I don't want to swim alone." 🤝 – Ernest Mas, a farmer from Tarragona (Spain), on #degrowth and #regenerative agriculture 🌱 (E2, 14:26). This series offers a breath of fresh air amid climate pessimism! 🌍 www.rtve.es/play/videos/...

The cover reads: 'Hope!' We are on time', with the planet Earth visible behind a yellow background.

This docuseries, titled Hope! Addresses one of the main concerns of citizens around the world: how to solve the climate crisis in time.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Quickly! Make a wish! I made mine this morning!

Pinned iberian female crane-fly (subgenus Acutipula) with all six legs intact. It is generally brown in colour and its wings are maculated.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

We also reported two inspirational real-life examples at @mncn-csic.bsky.social: a gamified activity 🎮 and a painting workshop! 🎨 Replicas can help to overcome limitations such as #entomophobia, and enable engagement with visually #impaired people! 🦯 All while keeping real insect specimens safe!

A collage of three images illustrating Case 1. European Researchers' Night: one of the stands where we showcased the technology (top); the modular entomological drawers containing both real insect specimens and replicas (middle); and the other stand where these drawers were on display (bottom).

Source: MNCN-CSIC Ent. Collection
Photo credits: Communication Dept. MNCN-CSIC

This collage illustrates Case 2. 'Journal Club' Painting Workshop. On the left is a view of the attendees talking to each other while painting, and on the right are the artistically painted 3D-printed specimens.

Source: my own
Photo credits: Luis R. Pertierra and Celia González.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

We combined #photogrammetry and #3Dprinting to create accurate insect replicas for use in communicating entomology! 🗣️🦋 We intended to provide a practical guide 🧾 on how to replicate this resource using #scAnt , an open-source device designed for 3D model reconstruction: doi.org/10.7717/peer...

A collage of two images showing: the 'scAnt' device –visible white ligthing dome and camera–, taking pictures of a beetle while connected to a laptop (top), and a curated grey printed 3D replica of a weevil (Eupholus bennigseni) (bottom).

Source: my own
Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and Marina González Cristóbal.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

🚨 Methods paper out now! nhcm.pensoft.net 📄 How can we make #entomology more engaging? Printed insect #3Dmodels can help! 🖨️ 🐜 Here we provide a guide to producing insect replicas to help overcome common issues in entomological #outreach activities! 🧩 Check it out! doi.org/10.3897/nhcm...

A collage of three images showing, from left to right: (1) a high-resolution 2D photograph of a metallic green moth (Jordanita notata) taken by the 'scAnt' device; (2) a preview of the generated 3D model; and (3) a hand holding the final printout.

Source: my own
Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert and Carlos A. Palancar.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

'En extinción. Lepidoptera', by Toya Legido, starts tomorrow at RJB-CSIC. It features more than 4,000 paper-cut butterflies belonging to 50 species, representing their own decline ✂️🦋 Butterflies once again bridge the gap between #science 🧪 and #art 🎨!

Two paper-cut butterflies pinned to the wall of the exhibition room. Above is the Adonis blue (Lysandea bellargus, dorsal view) and below is the Spanish greenish Black-tip (Euchloe bazae, ventral view).

General view of one of the exhibition walls.

The density of pinned specimens intends to create a vertical gradient. The bottom represents the past few decades and baseline abundance, while the top represents the recent decrease in their population.

A detailed view of one of the room's columns.

There are paper replicas in many different colours and sizes. They all depict emblematic or endangered species of moths (such as Graellsia isabellae) and butterflies (such as Parnassius apollo).

A first-person view of one of the exhibition's pieces: a container housing together host plants of certain species of Lepidoptera.

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

However, many of these cases remain undescribed and are still hidden away in cabinets, drawers and literature. Unknown field observations 📷, papers 📄, books 📖, museum specimens... Everything helps! Spread the word of these ant(agonistic) interactions! 🐜💥

Infographic made to spread the word about these ant antagonistic interactions.

It says: Call for data! Hunting for hidden ant(agonistic) interactions. Have you seen an ant biting other animal? They can be anywhere? Collaboration is needed to gather sufficient data! Data describing this species interactions is hard to get! Posible sources are: (1) specimens held at Natural History Museums, (2) Photographs of live interactions and (3) Unknow bibliographic reports.

Contact me to sanchezalbertadrian@gmail.com in case you can help!

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Despite its cryptic nature, some bibliographic sources report similar cases of ant remains attached to the body parts of other animals! 📚⚠️ For example: tiger beetles (Subfam. Cicindelinae) 🪲 and bats (O. Chiroptera) 🦇, are relatively common participants in these agonistic interactions! 🔍

Macro image of a hand holding a 'Cephalota dulcinea' live specimen with an ant head (Messor barbarus) grasping its left antennae (circled)

Source: Figure 9. of Polidori et al. (2020)

Black and white photography of an Adult female 'Nycticeius humeralis' (Evening Bat) with anterior portion of 'Camponotus floridanus' (Florida Carpenter Ant) attached by the mandibles to its cheek.

Source: Fig. 2 of Bender et al. (2009)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

But what about other antagonistic relationships, such as predation and competition? Can these also be traced in this way? Can we measure them using Natural History Collections? 🎯 Their reasoning is difficult to understand and there are few clues. It's the usual business of this type of criminology!

Dorsal view of the female giant hawkmoth (Eumorpha phorbas) biten on the right antenna by the fire ant. Near it, therea are two specimen labels (catalogue no. MNCN_Ent 378831 and collecting label that says 'piste de Kao, p.k 45 (French Guiana, 24/10/1987, José Esteban Durán).

Source: Figure 1. of Sánchez Albert et al. 2025
Author: A. Sánchez Albert

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

An ant biting my insect specimen?! 🐜 ⚠️ We recently reported an unusual sighting: a fire ant biting a giant hawkmoth that was collected 38 years ago! 🤯 doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.... Here's a thread on this hidden ecological relationship and where to find it in NHCs! 🏛️ Let's take a look! 🔍 1/6

Lateral macro view of the Solenopsis minor worker attached to the hawk moth’s antenna.

Source: Figure 2. of Sánchez Albert et al. 2025
Author: A. Sánchez Albert

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

I lost track of Pokemon a long time ago, on Gen IV. So I would say Yanma (and Yanmega) are my picks! It's unlikely, but I'll leave this here just in case anyone reading this doesn't know THE cite 👀: doi.org/10.5281/zeno...

Both Yanma (left) and it's evolution (Yanmega, right). They are insect/flight-type Pokemons that resemble dragonflies (order Odonata).

Source: modified from WikiDex
Author: Nintendo

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

These are probably my favourites! Bumblebee from the Transformers movie should have been named after this genus: #Anthidium. Some species look a lot like wasps! 🐝 Here you can check some ID features: www.idmybee.com/anthidium.html

Mounted male specimen of Anthidium (Anthidium) florentinum (Fabricius, 1775). Seen from behind, it is definitely reminiscent of a fat wasp. Males tend to be larger than females, in contrast to most bee species.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the specimen's wing. In this body region, the genus is characterised by having two submarginal cells. Also, the second recurrent vein reaches beyond the submarginal cell no. 2.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the posterior part of the abdomen of this specimen. Males have lateral spines on each segment (i.e. terguite).

These pointed tooth protrusions are useful for species identification. In this case, as they reach T4, it is A. florentinum and not A. manicatum.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the specimen's face. Its straight basal margin of the clypeus and subantennal sutures are also diagnostic of the genus. A. manicatum males have a dark spot on the clypeus, while this one does not.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Además de ser la más común... Aunque en la foto no se aprecia mucho, tiene partes rojizas en los antenómeros y la pilosidad abdominal es más bien ocre. Lo que no sé es si es cuestión de cierto deterioro o realmente es sexcinctus 🤔

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Another quick ID attempt today! Their distinctive appearance made it not too difficult 🔍 Strongly curved basal vein (Halictidae) and terguite pilosity growing from the apical border of the terguites (Halictus)! 🐝 Tentative sp ID is scabiosae/sexcinctus. Any suggestions? 🕵🏻‍♂️

Mounted male specimen of Halictus (Halictus) cf. scabiosae (Rossi, 1790). Museum specimens often pose additional complications to identification due to inadequate past preservation conditions.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

This would not have been possible without the help of @alexnunez23.bsky.social and Jose Luis Romero. Here are a couple of fantastic photos of this species, and related M. albonotata for comparison, taken by JL Romero 📸

Photo of live female M. pyrenaica in colony nests. The ventral scopa is visible as orange pilosity under the abdomen. Notice the reddish basitarsal tegument.

Author: JL Romero Romero
Reproduced with permission

Photo of a live M. pyrenaica male on a tree trunk.

Author: JL Romero Romero
Reproduced with permission

Photo of live male M. albonotata on flowers of Onobrychis saxatilis (Fabaceae). For comparison with M. pyrenaica it has the same pigidial plate (T7), but basitarsus with black tegument.

Author: JL Romero Romero
Reproduced with permission

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

The third ID session was complicated, but luckily I had lots of help! - all help, in fact 😅 Let me introduce you to Megachile pyrenaica! A polylectic species whose females build nests from mud and their own saliva (dauber bees). 🐝 🏺 More info on this genus: www.idmybee.com/megachile.html

Male pinned specimen of Megachile (Chalicodoma) pyrenaica (Lepeletier, 1841). Its reddish legs are a good detail for species ID (e.g. distinctive to M. albonotata).

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the specimen's face. In my case, dense pilosity difficulted the observation of its mandibles (and other useful traits).

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the specimen's left wing. Megachile species (>1,400 worldwide) are relatively difficult to ID. The genus is characterised by having two submarginal cells.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the specimen's pigidial plate. This is the expansion forming the last (seventh) dorsal segment of the abdomen (called terguite = T7). This protrusion is usually looked at for species ID.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Coll. MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 20/03/2025

Second #KnowYourBees attempt almost disastrous! Being an amateur bee voyeur, I wasn't sure about this 'weird Andrena': it was a honeybee! Here, 3️⃣ tips to avoid mistakes: They have 'banana-shaped' edge cells and hairy eyes (both ♀ and ♂). Drones (♂) are easier to spot if they have large 'fly eyes'!

Detail of the left wing of a female (worker) 'Apis mellifera' Linnaeus, 1758. In the anterior part, close to the tip, you can see the marginal cell, clearly elongated; more or less like a banana.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

Detail of the right compound eye of the same specimen. Short hairs (setae) are visible between the facets (ommatidia) that make up the eye. This feature is only shared with bees of the genus Coelioxys (Megachilidae).

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

Frontal view of the face of a honeybee drone. Its eyes are similar to those of flies: convergent at the top of the head (vertex). Note also its furry eyes.

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

Habitus comparison between the drone (left, ♂) and the woker (right, ♀).

Author: myself
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

It is called 'hairy-footed flower bee' because of the 'hairy trousers' of the female 👖💇🏻‍♀️. Also, females usually nest in burrows dug into steep cliffs and walls! The species is early and univoltine (1 gr. per year, from March to June), feeding on several angiosperm families (i.e. #polylectic) 🌸

Female live specimen of A. plumipes. Its posterior tibia show long hairs - although not as long as those of some Dasypoda species.

Author: David Genoud
Source: Flickr

Live female A. plumipes (in flight) returning to its nest hole.

Author: Hanno Schaefer
Source: @hannosbees (Twitter)

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

First attempt at bee identification after the end of the #BeeCourseBarcelona and... lucky me! Took a random box from the didactic collection (spec. without data labels) and found this #Anthophora plumipes - the only species of this genus present in Spain. 🐝🔍

Pinned male specimen of Anthophora (Anthophora) plumipes (Pallas, 1772). Its appearance is somewhat robust, and its pale yellowish face greatly facilitates its ID.

Males can be recognised by the absence of dense pilosity on the posterior legs.

Author: my own
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

Detail picture of the specimen's face seen through a binocular lens. Its antennae are short and its clypeus relatively protuberant.

Author: my own
Source: Ent. Col. MNCN-CSIC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

1️⃣5️⃣ Crhysiridia rhipheus - Native to Madagascar and a stunning wing pattern! Unfortunately, #beauty ✨ is still the main criterion governing conservation and other attitudes towards lepidopterans... Luckily, sp. like this will serve as umbrellas for others! doi.org/10.1007/s105...

Specimen of Chrysiridia rhipheus on a sheet. Light traps are a common method for sampling nocturnal insect diversity. However, this species, along with others of the Uraniidae family exhibit diurnal activity patterns.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Frank Vassen CC BY-SA 2.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

1️⃣4️⃣ Attacus atlas - #Bats 🦇, despite of its huge size, are the main predators of this species. That is why most Saturniids, including Atlas moths, posses a brilliant adaptation to deter the bat's sonar: its wingtips' #folds cause echoes that reduce its detectability! doi.org/10.1016/j.cu...

Specimen of Attacus atlas perched on the border of a leaf. Males of this species, like the specimen here, are easily recognised by their feathered antennae. Sometimes the curved apex of it wings is compared with a snake's head.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Alias0591 CC BY-SA 2.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

1️⃣3️⃣ Noctuidae - Temptative IDs has been suggested by ACNH fans, but the exact sp. remains unclear. Given so, this is the perfect chance to highlight their role as pollinators! Although key in #pollination 🌼 networks, moths have been largely ignored by ecologists! doi.org/10.1038/s415...

Photo-composition of several Noctuidae moths. Species of this family tend to show dull colours, but they are still beautiful little critters!

Author: Anton V. Volynkin
Modified from: Research Gate
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Figures-3-16-Noctuidae-from-Saur-Mts-adult-specimens-3-Euchalcia-herrichi-male-Tas_fig2_305867820

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

1️⃣2️⃣ Ornithoptera alexandrae - It is the biggest known butterfly, with a restricted distribution (140km²), and it is considered #endangered ⚠️! Recently, additional concerns arised from its low #genetic 🧬 diversity; which appears to be steadily low since ancient times. doi.org/10.1093/gbe/...

Underside of a pinned museum specimen of Ornithoptera alexandrae (male). This picture belongs to the Natural History Museum of London, and is a good example of the digitalisation efforts taken in the institution.

"Fun" fact: the first specimen collected (by Rothschild) was a female and was taken down by a shot! Wild...

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Peter Wing (NHM) CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

1️⃣1️⃣ Trogonoptera brookiana - Described by Alfred Russell Wallace, kown by its enormous size, etc. But! Now scientists suggest that the distinct #nanostructures 🔬 of its wing scales allow it to camouflage efficiently against the forest canopy, despite its noisy colours. doi.org/10.1016/j.ci...

Specimen of Trogonoptera brookiana drinking from a flower. The famous naturalist and explorer, Alfred Russell Wallace, first collected this species on Borneo (Malay Archipelago), and named it after british Sarawak's rajah, James Brook.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Bernard Dupont CC BY-SA 2.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

1️⃣0️⃣ Agrias claudina - This and relative genera are known both for its #polymorphism, but also for its rapid flight! 🦋💨 So much so that British naturalist H. W. Bates stated the following about A. c. sardanapalus: "quite impossible to capture it except when it is sitting". doi.org/10.1111/brv....

Specimen of Agrias claudina drinking water from a leaf. The underside of its wings rivals in beauty with the upperside. It is fascinating how the same genetic basis produces very disimilar patterns on the same body part.

Source: NaturalistaCO
Author: Roger Rittmaster CC BY-NC

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

9️⃣ Morpho peleides - Research on the auditory system of this species suggests that, apart from its sight, its #earing 👂🏻 (ranging 1-20 kHz) might be key for them to detect incidental sounds of approaching predators. So, be aware, butterly catchers! doi.org/10.1007/s003...

Specimen of Morpho peleides warming up in a bush. This neotropical butterflies have been coveted for decades by insect collectors for its stunning beautiful blue iridescence.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Thomas Bresson CC BY-SA 3.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

8️⃣ Danaus plexippus - The Monarch butterfly is renowned by its long-distance #migration 🦋 (>4K km). What people may not know is that #ClimateChange is #delaying 📅 this journey, and thus might prevent some individuals to travel in optimal conditions, causing their deaths. ☠️ doi.org/10.1111/gcb....

Specimen of Monarch butterfly resting on a flower. Although its migration is extremely impressive, this species has been dethroned recently by other butterfly: the painted lady (Vanessa cardui, 12.000 km).

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: ©Derek Ramsey GFDL 1.2

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

7️⃣ Sasakia charonda - Called Japanese Emperor –national butterfly of 🇯🇵–, its larvae have not quite royal "halitosis" 🤢. Scientists discovered (by chance) that its oral glands are able to excrete repellants, both deterrent to predators like #ants 🐜 and #wasps 🐝. doi.org/10.1007/s000...

Specimen of Sasakia charonda showing its stunning violaceous wing iridiscences. This colour and others like blue are structural, thus meaning there is no pigment intervening on its formation, just the scales physically interfering with light.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Peelden CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

6️⃣ Idea leuconoe - This species is key on studying #chemical communication 👃🏻 in insects! It is a well studied example of semiochemical systems, with both its intra- and interspecific compounds, #pheromones and #allelochemicals respectively, characterized chemically. 🧪 doi.org/10.1039/D2NP...

Specimen of Idea leuconoe resting on a person's arm. Rarely, butterfies land on people siking for their sweat, as it contains coveted minerals! This phenomenon is technically called 'lachryphagy'.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Peelden CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

5️⃣ Graphium sarpedon - This is the top sp. holding the record for eyes with the most diverse #photoreceptors 🌈 among animals. Its 15 different spectrally sensitive cells integrate in a way that scientists don't yet fully understand (they are most likely #trichromic 🎨!). doi.org/10.3389/fevo...

Specimen of Graphium sarpedon feeding on a flower. This species, unlike others, has very similar wing uper and undersides.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Laitche CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

4️⃣ Papilio bianor - Commonly known as the 'Chinese peacock', because of its flamboyant colours, its behaviour can be equally showy. Occasionally, large groups gather around #mudpuddles 🥤 siking for limitant minerals (specially Na+), key for reproduction. doi.org/10.1007/s001...

Specimen of Papilio bianor drinking from a muddy/sandy puddle. Its 'tongue', the spiritromp, is very long compared with its body length. Most butterflies normally keep it rolled up while not feeding.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Sourabh.biswas003 CC BY-SA 4.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

3️⃣ Papilio machaon - Its unique wing pattern and its variability has obsessed lepidopterologists for decades. 🕵🏻‍♂️ As a result, uncountable #varieties, #aberrations and #subespecies have been described 📝. However, current knowledge points at reducing this. doi.org/10.3390/inse...

A male Papilio machaon standing on a dry flower with its wings fully extended. This butterfly, although yellowish, contrary to the two previous, belongs to the Papilionidae family; commonly known as 'swallowtails' by its hindwings' posterior tail-like expansions.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Zeynel Cebeci CC BY-SA 3.0

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Adrián Sánchez Albert 🐛 @adsalbert.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

2️⃣ Colias crocea - Species of this genus are very similar, at least to our eyes. 👀 However, looking at their wings under #UVlight 🔦 a "hidden pattern" that facilitates enormously its ID to the species level is revealed. doi.org/10.1046/j.13...

A female specimen of Colias crocea perched on a plant. The contrasted yellowish markings on the forewing borders reveal its sex (female).

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Author: Charles J. Sharp CC BY-SA 4.0

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