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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Like hummingbirds, Hyles lineata are also phenomenal pollinators. Due to their crepuscular nature, they visit flowers that bloom in the evening. As they feed, pollen adheres to their bodies and can be transferred to the next flower they visit, helping pollinate plants along their journey.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Not only are the white-lined sphinx moths stunning and quite cute to see, but they are an important part of our ecosystem, and a welcome sight that follows Arizona’s monsoon season.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Have you seen them? They are known for their large sizes- a 2-3 inch wingspan-, and a distinctive pink stripe striking through the black hindwing. Their size and flight pattern resemble those of hummingbirds, earning them the nickname “hummingbird moth.”

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

When monsoon season hits, we may see more of these friendly moths, the Hyles lineata, commonly known as the white-lined sphinx moth. Their larvae thrive in the abundant plant life that the monsoon rain brings, making them a staple of Arizona’s summers.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The workshop concluded with the Mollusk Collection, where students explored the beauty and diversity of shells. Microscopes revealed delicate internal structures, intricate patterns, and fine textures, while larger shells inspired them with their elegant spirals, striking spines, and vibrant colors.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

On the third day, the students transitioned into the Fossil Collection where they examined fossils representing different eras, shapes, and sizes. These ancient specimens challenged students to imagine ancient worlds where these organisms once flourished.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The second day featured the Insect Collections, showcasing an extraordinary diversity of pinned insects alongside microscopic details only visible under magnification. Students studied intricate patterns on smaller insects through microscopes and sculpted clay models of larger species.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

The workshop began with the Mammalogy and Fluid Collections, where students studied the unique anatomy and forms of a variety of animals. Through drawing and painting, they closely observed their favorite specimens while learning how structure relates to function in the natural world.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Since 2022, Art Under the Microscope has been an annual collaboration between the ASU Biocollections and the ASU School of Art. From June 29 through July 2, 2026, the ASU Biocollections welcomed high school students for a four-day workshop of discovery and artistic expression.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

From food to body wash, guava’s popularity has percolated into various products for its distinctive smell, taste, and health benefits from Vitamin C and iron to phosphorus.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The guava collection goes beyond research specimens, extending into a collection of guava product containers, representative of guava’s commercial importance around the world.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Our plant research collection now has over 10,000 specimens, representing over 1,000 species of Myrtaceae.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Guava is near and dear to the ASU herbarium’s heart and history. Former collection manager Dr. Les Landrum specializes in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and his 26 years working in the collection directly resulted in huge growth in this family.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Our entomology department is one of 13 US Institutions that have teamed up to create over one million high-resolution images of our bee specimens, with over 5,000 bee species from around the world. This project gives access to our bee specimens, advancing our understanding of the world of bees.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

It’s also a favorite of our Insect Collection Manager, Dr. Sangmi Lee, who takes great joy in introducing visitors to the incredible diversity and beauty of micro moths. Every species, no matter how small they may be, plays a large role in creating a happy, diverse ecosystem!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Like many moths, their subtle patterns and resting posture may also help them blend into their surroundings and avoid predators.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

This featured moth, Aristotelia elegantella, is a micro moth in the family Gelechiidae with a wingspan of about 13 mm, or roughly half an inch! Although tiny, this species displays striking metallic silver, brown, and bronze coloration that can easily catch the eye under the microscope.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Happy World Bee Day! While the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) targets ground beetles, mosquitos, ticks, macroinvertebrates, and zooplankton with its standardized sampling, not bees, we have bees and all sorts of other organisms to discover in our invertebrate bycatch samples. ✨🐝🪲🐛

Three pinned green shiny bee specimens. The pins have museum-standard locality labels on them.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Sundevils, have you seen them? Look out for these small creatures and their friends on your way to class!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

We get to greet them early this year thanks to a wet and warm winter, which allowed their eggs to hatch quickly and let them grow rapidly. However, we do not expect them to stick around forever. Once vegetation dries up and food becomes scarce, they will vanish as quickly as they arrived.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Grasshoppers play a part in regulating plant life. They aerate the land and help water infiltration through their burrowing behaviors. They move the nitrogen cycle along and they are a vital food source for other organisms. They are indicators of ecosystem health!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Let's take a look at a familiar face around Arizona recently: the Pallid-Winged Grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis). They span from Canada to South America, preferring hot dry areas, and thriving on flat surfaces, such as parking lots. (making them perfectly at home in Arizona’s urban desert!)

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

We are excited to have a full house for our first annual student symposium! It is a great tradition that we are starting to give our students a platform to share their work!

Classroom with a student presenting with two presentation screens behind them in the front and many people sitting in chairs watching.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Come visit us at the Nature at Night event at the Chandler Nature Center THIS SATURDAY!! We have some nocturnal and light-trap specific specimens to showcase and share with you at our table. We will be located in the Painted Desert Classroom! Event Address: 4050 E Chandler Heights Rd., Chandler, AZ

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Shrew identification can be challenging! Laura Steger (lovingly) reviews the determination for every Sorex archived in the NEON collection. Only 1500 left!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Since ants are highly social, we can learn from how they navigate social situations, ranging from intra- to intercolony interactions with different ant species in their environment! Here is a close-up of a western seed-harvester ant from our database!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Seed-harvester ants collect and store seeds in their nests that they eat in addition to insects. Meanwhile, leaf-cutter ants (Genus: Acromyrmex) grow fungus for food. Seed-harvester ants, which are in the same subfamily (Myrmicinae), have a more potent sting than the leaf-cutters for better defense.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Across his research career, Dr. Johnson has primarily worked with seed-harvester ants (Genus: Pogonomyrmex), studying their reproductive strategies and biogeography. Dr. Johnson has also studied how different ant species occupy ecological niches within a shared ecosystem.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 16/02/2026

Today, we are highlighting Dr. Robert A. Johnson, an evolutionary ecologist, expert on ants, and Faculty member at ASU. For his doctorate, he conducted a comparative study between ants and bees, ultimately deciding to focus on ants!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

Thank you to everyone who came to see us at the Roots of Creation Festival! Thank you to the City of Surprise for having us and to the ASU School of Art for sharing a booth with us for a fun, art, and science! Catch us at our next event and get notified by signing up for our email list!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

The males possess striking horns that are used in fights for mating. They come in two common colors, brown and gray. They often have spots on their elytra! Why do these beetles have “fur” on their body? This is called setae, which are “hairs” that aid in movement and sensory perception.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

Let’s take a look at an insect some of you may not know has habitats here in Arizona! Dynastes grantii, more commonly known as the Western Hercules Beetle. They are most commonly found in areas with higher elevations and forested areas, providing ideal environmental conditions for this species.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Come join us tomorrow in at the Surprise Xeriscape Garden for the Roots of Creation: Art & Nature Festival! FREE to attend and for ALL AGES!! Hope to see you there! 🦋🪲🐿️🐗

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Reposted by ASU Biocollections

ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

Roots of Creation: Art and Nature Festival! Location: Surprise Xeriscape Garden Address: 16126 N. Civic Center Plaza, Surprise, AZ 85374 Event Date: 1/24/2026 Event Time: 12:00-4:00pm Join us in celebrating art and nature! More information at surpriseaz.gov/RootsOfCreat... Art by: Dante De La Rosa

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 21/01/2026

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

We look forward to seeing you all at future events! Keep an eye out for information about upcoming opportunities here on our socials. And if for more direct communication, join our email list through the link in our bio. (3/3)

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

We had various events this year, which ranged from Earth Day celebrations to field events to welcoming you into the heart of our collections. Which event did you attend? Give a shout in the comments! If an event where you connected with us is not on the list, give a shout as well! (2/3)

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

ASU Biocollections Outreach Events of 2025! What a year! And what a joy to look back on the many wonderful outreach events where we brought our specimens out and beyond our doors, or where we brought you behind-the-scenes, to share with you the incredible biodiversity of our planet! (1/3)

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 01/11/2025

Join the ASU Biocollections at the annual Bug Fest! Visitors are encouraged to dress up as well! Date: Sunday, November 2nd Time: 10AM-2PM Location: Arizona Boardwalk Courtyard 9500 E Vía de Ventura, Scottsdale, AZ 85256 Cost: FREE! All ages! #asubiocollections #butterflywonderland #bugfest

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Some snippets of the displays we created for our Spook-tober Tours! Look forward to more events to come! We are so grateful for your eagerness and enthusiasm with this debut! #asubiocollections #spooktobertours #biocollections #naturalhistorycollections #spooktober #insects #vertebrates #lichens

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Join us for some SPOOKY tours of our collections this October 27th or 29th. Admission: $22 for adults, $12 for students and kids Sign up by scanning the QR code or through Linktree in our bio! #asubiocollections #halloween #spookyscience Artwork by Dante De La Rosa

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Dragonfly & Butterfly Bash! We want to invite you to this FREE community event for ALL AGES centered around Dragonflies & Butterflies this Saturday 10/4/2025 from 9AM-12PM at the Chandler Nature Center (4050 E Chandler Heights Rd, Chandler, AZ 85249)! Hope to see you there!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Creature Feature Friday! Today’s highlighted mammal is the Masked Shrew (Sorex cinereus)! These little critters are actually NOT rodents, and belong to the family Eulipotyphla, which are true insectivores. They are more closely related to hedgehogs and moles than mice! Check Insta for more info!

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

¡Les esperamos en el jardín de Blanca en Spaces of Opportunity (Opportunity 1200 W Vineyard Rd, Phoenix, AZ, son a las 6:30PM - 8PM, 10 de Agosto) para ver de cerca a los insectos nocturnos que viven en nuestros ecosistemas! Conecta con tu comunidad. ¡Este evento es gratuito! 💡🪲🔎

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

We are excited to announce a public insect light trapping event! Please join us at the Spaces of Opportunity (1200 W Vineyard Rd, Phoenix) on August 10th from 6:30pm to 8pm to take a look at some of the local nocturnal insects that inhabit our ecosystems. It's a free event for all ages! 💡 🪲 🔍

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Discover how Rianna Sandoval, Leodivina Dodoo from ASU, and Maggie Hantank (w/ assistance from Brendan Enochs) from the University of Dayton are studying the impact of environmental factors on red-backed salamander color patterns. Insights from NEON data reveal climate's effect in these variations.

Two hands overlapped on top of each other, palm facing up, holding two striped red-backed salamanders with identification tags attached to each of the salamanders.

Four people, three women and one man, shown holding red-backed salamander specimens. Three of the women are holding jarred specimens, while one man and another one of the women are holding just the salamanders in the palms of their hands.

Four images, two close-up and two medium shots, of a striped red-backed salamander specimen incased in a vial. The stripe on its back has speckled coloration within it.

Four images, two close-up and two medium shots, of an unstriped red-backed salamander specimen incased in a vial. Its primary color is dark and close to black.

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ASU Biocollections @asubiocollections.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Welcome to Creature Feature Friday! Meet the Poetry Moth (Neumoegenia poetica), a native of the dry landscapes of the Southwestern U.S. and Northern Mexico. Its dazzling golden wings shimmer in the light, often with hints of green and bronze.

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