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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

📢 PhD opportunity | Melbourne, Australia We're seeking a #PhD candidate at Agriculture Victoria to investigate Behavioural drivers of horizontal transmission of entomopathogenic fungi in Bactrocera tryoni Apply here: www.latrobe.edu.au/study/schola... #Entomology #BiologicalControl #PlantProtection

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

PhD opportunity!! 🍄🥜🍄‍🟫🪲🪰We have a fully funded position available at La Trobe Uni in Melbourne, for an exciting project in #insect #pathology! The student will explore combining #entomopathogenic #fungi with #RNAi as a novel biological pest management approach. See details in the attached flyer

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 20/03/2026

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Claudia Lange @claudiala777.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

✨ ✨ ✨ #PhD POSITION ✨ ✨ ✨ Insect microbiomes and their role in biocontrol: a journey from field collection to invasive weed management. @aimeeemac.bsky.social @cescomartons.bsky.social

Scholarship: $37,000 (tax free) (2025/26 rate) up to three and a half years.
Based at AgriBio, the Centre for AgriBiosciences, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Successful applicants must meet the La Trobe University entry requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Check your eligibility here: https://www]atrobe.edu.au/study/apply/research/doctor
For enquiries and to apply, please forward a covering letter, your curriculum vitae (please include evidence of research writing) and academic transcripts to: Kendra Whiteman Higher Education Manager Agriculture Victoria Research kendra.whiteman@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Closing date for applications: until filled
Title: Insect microbiomes and their role in biocontrol: a journey from field collection to invasive weed management
PhD Project Aims
• Explore the microbiome composition of biocontrol insect/s and host plants collected from the field in their native range
• Understand the impact of lab quarantine protocols, mass rearing, and release under conditions on insect microbiome and fecundity
• Develop methods to preserve or supplement beneficial microbes to cultured insects
The successful candidate will be supervised by A/Prof Paul Cunningham, Dr Aimee McKinnon and Dr Francesco Martoni and Dr Raelene Kwong. With potential opportunities to travel internationally and collaborate with experts at the Bioeconomy Science Institute, New Zealand, this PhD will shape the future of biocontrol programs in Australia and internationally.

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Phie Jacobs @phiejacobs.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

It was a privilege to help tell the stories of U.S. scientists whose lives have been upended during the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s administration in this recent piece for @science.org

science.org

U.S. scientists’ lives and careers are being upended. Here are five of their stories

As the second Trump administration sends U.S. science into upheaval, countless researchers are fighting for their futures

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Dr Manu Saunders FRES @manusaunders.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

Beyond the clickbaity headline...a good science story on the complexities of ecology and why scientific debates over HOW we measure insect decline are important, with some comments from me 🌏🧪 #scicomm www.sciencefocus.com/comment/inse...

sciencefocus.com

A massive insect study may have made a huge mistake

The debate surrounding biodiversity loss highlights the fact that science is always a work in progress

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Seth Bordenstein @symbionticism.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

📣 🪰 We're hiring a new Assistant/Associate Professor of *Public Health Entomology* at Penn State. Research areas are broad, covering pest management, pesticide resistance, epidemiology, and interactions of arthropods with microbial pathogens and symbionts. psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/PSU_Ac...

psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com

Assistant/Associate Professor of Public Health Entomology

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, a...

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Allison Hansen @hansenlab.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

New study from my lab and former grad Dr. Kwak shows Liberibacter psyllaurous, a dual insect symbiont and plant pathogen, boosts psyllid fitness by providing essential nutrients like arginine. A rare case of nutritional benefits from non-obligate symbionts #symbiosis journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

journals.asm.org

A dual insect symbiont and plant pathogen improves insect host fitness under arginine limitation | mBio

Unlike obligate symbionts that are permanently associated with their hosts, facultative symbionts rarely show direct nutritional contributions, especially under nutrient-limited conditions. This study...

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

We have a few fantastic #entomology PhD opportunities available in our team at Agriculture Victoria, in association with La Trobe University, Australia 🇦🇺 😄

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

Introducing New Zealand's latest Bug of the Year- the magnificent Ngāokeoke / Velvet Worm! NZ has two genera: one lays eggs (Ooperipatellus, 1st photo) and another gives live birth (Peripatoides, 2nd). They also deposit sperm which burrow through their partner's skin, but that's another story! 🧪

A photograph of a velvet worm - an orange and purple-patterned invertebrate composed of many soft segments and tiny spined legs. The velvet worm has long, segmented antenna and a pair of organs on its head which squirt glue for prey capture.

A photograph of a velvet worm - an Blue and yellow-patterned invertebrate composed of many soft segments and tiny spined legs. The velvet worm has long, segmented antenna and a pair of organs on its head which squirt glue for prey capture.

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Amazing photos!! Welcome Francesco to #bugsky

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Amphipsalta zelandica, New Zealand's chorus #cicada, is gorgeous. It's funny how when you return to your home country, you realise that the cicada sounds are unique and, therefore, #nostalgic #bugsky

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Cordyceps sinclairii is an #entomopathogenic fungus that infects #cicada nymphs in soil, I found a few of these while hiking in Abel Tasman NP in New Zealand, and just had to dig one up, to see the host! It's like digging up a tiny potato 🥔 #fungi

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Earthling Cards @earthlingcards.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

So who wants to see some #zombie #fungi? I cleared some camphor saplings and lantana vine over weekend. The amount of #entomopathogenic fungi I found was getting really annoying. Ugh put down tools, get out camera, take photo for the wonderful bluesky people, pick back up tools. Repeat #fungifriends

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Aimee McKinnon @aimeeemac.bsky.social · 16/01/2025

The majestic New Zealand Bug of the Year 2025 competition is on now! As with our bird comp, you don't have to be a New Zealander on in the country to vote for your favourite! #bugsky bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

New Zealand Bug of the Year

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Reposted by Aimee McKinnon

Entomological Society of America @entsocamerica.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Using harmonic radar tags weighing less than a milligram, scientists have shown fruit flies can be tracked to reveal flight patterns and wind-driven effects in real-world environments. The researchers say the technique can open doors to answer new questions about insects flight behavior.

entomologytoday.org

Tiny Radar Tags Enable Novel Insights in Fruit Fly Dispersal

Using harmonic radar tags weighing less than a milligram, scientists show fruit flies can be closely tracked to reveal flight patterns in real-world environments.

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