iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

And here's the other two. I cut the glass for these months ago, well before my move to New Mexico, so it's nice to get them finished.

Two stained glass pieces of flowers, each with an insect. Top shows a purple flower with an agate center and a bee. Left is backlit and right is not backlit. Bottom shows a white flower with a yellow agate center and a butterfly (left is backlit and right is not).

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Because my move it's been a while since I've soldered etc. so I started with a few small pieces to get back into it.

Two stained glass flowers with an insect visiting each flower. Top shows a reddish orange flower with a brown agate center and a bee. Left is the piece backlit and right is the piece not backlit. Bottom shows a while flower with a yellow agate center and an iridescent green beetle (left backlit, right not backlit).

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

It's apparently large spider season in my new home. I found not one, but two large female burrowing wolf spiders on my porch the other morning. They didn't move a bit all day but they were both gone the next morning. I'm used to wolf spiders but these were striking because they were solid black.

A dark black spider with its legs somewhat pulled in close to its body. It's on a tan stucco wall with a strip of white trim to the right. Its body was about 1 inch long not including the legs.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

As I'm unpacking my galls I'm craving gall art. I really love making these little macrame+gall ornaments and wall hangings but the gall-bedazzled mini-frames are also calling to me. I loved using the piñon galls with the oak galls.

Top left is a macrame wall hanging featuring a gall in the center of a ring with a half circle of black fringe. Bottom left and top right are both brown macrame ornaments with different types of oak galls incorporated into the pieces. Bottom right is a mini frame made from twigs with a small drawing of an oak leaf in the center (with a wasp paper background) bordered by oak galls and piñon needle galls.

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Ellen O. Martinson @waspvenom.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The Martinson lab is looking for new PhD students! We have so much cool data and need help making sense of it all! If interested please contact me!

Flyer for position in Plant Genome Manipulation by Insects "We are looking for new members of our team to work on the molecular mechanisms behind gall induction. A gall is an abnormal growth on a plant that is induced by another organism (i.e., bacteria, fungi, mites, insects). Insect-induced galls are the most complex type, creating structures and pigments not seen in the normal development of the host plant. The insect evades host defenses and co-opts control of plant development redirecting resources away from the plant to create a structure comprised of multiple tissues that both provide nutrition to the insect’s offspring as well as protects them from harm. While some progress has been made in individual systems, we still do not understand how any insect induces a gall to form or whether the mechanisms behind this complex manipulation are conserved across galling species. The Martinson lab works in three independent galling systems to try to understand molecular toolkit used to hijack plant development is shared across distantly related gall-inducing insects or whether each lineage has evolved its own unique suite of effectors and signaling strategies. " If interested email emartinson@unm.edu.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I've been volunteering at the local library here in Cochiti Lake and I made some more wasp paper bookmarks to put out for the patrons. Some feature tassels others have a leather cord with a gemstone hanging from them.

Eight different wood bookmarks covered with paper made by wasps. They all have multicolored stripes and swirls depending on the source of the plant material used for that portion of the wasp paper. Some are darker than others.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

I've been modifying wool dryer balls and it has been extremely therapeutic given everything. I wanted to share these in case others think this coping method might help them. FYI felting involves stabbing the piece repeatedly with serrated needles that make a very satisfying crunch sound.

The inside of a clothes dryer with 3 wool dryer balls each with a anguished/angry face.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

She will forever be Kitten. 2010-2026 Sleep sweet baby, my dearest Kitten.

A tiny, brown, spotted tiger shorthair kitten. She has white toes and is looking innocently up at the camera while sitting next to the toy she destroyed. The remains of the toy are some scattered feathers, and a long furry rope attached to a stick. There is a large black and gray backpack in the lower left corner of the photo.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

I ended up further modifying my tooth fairy habitat. I have plans for a few more improvements but I think they are pretty happy for now.

A view of the entire habitat. This cubby has black oak leaves, Spanish moss, and mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. Around the bottom of the cubby there are gnarled branches with leathery, dry leaves that are embroidered with copper thread in various patterns. The back wall had a chalkboard with a deer skull hanging above it and the corners have shelves with specimens and books about Biology/Morphology. In the center there is a table with specimens fire examination. There are two thin dolls next to the table with mushroom heads, tattered wings, and human-like teeth. They are enjoying a book together.

This view gives a better view of the things on the back wall and on the table.

This view shows the beautiful smiles of the tooth fairies (you may be thankful if you can't see the details.... Their toothy-grins will haunt the dreams of many who can - remember, they are standing underneath mistletoe.)

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

You do not want shingles!! To add to the shingles experience stories: I had it during my PhD and when it first hit (I was in a meeting with my advisor) my body went into fight or flight mode because the pain was so bad. I'm talking heart racing, can't hold still, pure panic because the pain was...

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Look at this stupid face! Stupidest face ever. So cute, it hurts... I hope this shared pain has improved your day.

An adorable gray and white cat face poking out between some fake leaves inside of a basket.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

I have a new addition to my collection of earrings based on the forms of insect antennae. I started with serrate; then I did pectinate. The latter were my favorite and recently broke so I am recarving them and also did this lamellate set (bottom pair). Loving them!

Three sets of wooden earrings carved from oak. The top set are hoop-shaped with the bottom outer edge with projecting teeth like a serrated knife. The middle set has extensions hanging downwards that give it a comb-like appearance. The bottom has overlapping rounded plates hanging downwards.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

Trying out an alternative to the usual black tassel that I attach to my bookmarks. I love the color contrast compared to my leafminer bookmark. I absolutely adore this bookmark and I hope to eventually make more. Good, serpentine leaf mines are sometimes hard to find in high concentrations.

A hand holding a bookmark. The bookmark is mostly green since it is made using leaves that have leaf mines from insects. There is a thin leather cord attached to the top of the bookmark and it holds a teardrop-shaped piece of jasper.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Finished a gold version of the chrysomelid beetle. I need to make the back covers but otherwise I'm done with these two. Tortoise beetles will be next.

Two small embroidery hoops with colorful embroidered beetles on black fabric. The left one is gold with yellow, orange, and red. The one on the right is silver with three shades of teal.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

He despises the pumpkins that we grew in his honor so I need the wreath to keep him sitting amongst them. However, he refuses to NOT chew on the wreath so I give up for now on trying to get a cute photo for the vet clinic's annual calendar. We will do this every year for the rest of his life.

A buff-colored kitty crouched behind a wreath that is surrounded by pink pumpkins. The background is a work wall and trim with wood floors. The wreath is made of oak leaves in autumn colors and is adorned with things like brass-colored acorns, pine cones, and ribbons. The naughty little kitty is chewing on one of the ribbons and is therefore making an odd face.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

I'm loving the aesthetics of cats and Entomology-themed blankets. Makes me want to curl up with a warm cup of tea and cuddle with this wee-beasty.

A gray and white cat lounging on a beige recliner that has a woven blanket draped over the back. The cat looks entirely way too satisfied with himself as he leans against the arm of the chair under the warm glow of a lamp on the side table.

The blanket has illustrations of the posterior spiracles of the main groups of forensically important flies (Calliphoridae, Muscidae, and Sarcophagidae).

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Ryan St Laurent @ryanstlaurent.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

FYI: Despite recent info suggesting otherwise, my lab at CU Boulder is in fact accepting grad students fall 2026! Reach out if interested in insect systematics, phylogenetics, life history, insect-plant interactions.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

I completed a little embroidered chrysomelid. It turned out so cute! I created a tortoise beetle design that I will try out later. Fall always makes me want to do fiber arts. I still have a new king-sized quilt in the works so there's hefty competition for my creative energy this year.

An embroidery hoop with a black piece of fabric that has a beetle embroidered with patterns in silver, black, and various shades of teal.

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Reposted by Cynipid

Anna Frances Probert @afprobert.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Opportunity: Arthropod Taxonomic Specialists (10 positions) at the University of Guelph 🪰🐝🪲🕷️🦂

graduatestudies.uoguelph.ca

Arthropod Taxonomic Specialists (10 positions) | Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

My stained glass storage just upped its game. The sheets are stored in old insect cabinets that are turned on their sides. My newest addition are the retired specimen boxes for housing Odonata specimens that I use for my scrap glass pieces. #stainedglass

The bottom of the photo shows wood cabinets with tall but thin openings filled with sheets of glass standing upright. Above the wood cabinets is a black metal shelf with 3 rows of brown boxes. The boxes are 4x5x16 inches deep and have a small black label on the front indicating the color of scrap glass inside.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 13/07/2025

Visiting the flea markets today in search of a couple things. (🧵Thread below if you need a/an mental/emotional break)

A gray carpet isle stretching before you set between shelves on either side, filled with miscellaneous items. The exposed rafters show that the building is a tall metal warehouse.

A tight path between cluttered shelves. The back wall has old wooden boxes and signs. The surrounding shelves are filled with ceramic jugs, old metal lamps, antlers, leather suitcases, and many other items.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

What would you associate with this container? It has a very specific purpose in my family. When I grew up and moved out on my own I had to find one just like it at an antique store in order for me to store this item(s) in my own home.

A green and brown tin with a framed image of a house on the lid. The text under the image says "The Original Toll House Cookie".

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

A bug that looks like AI but it's actually real: The big-legged bat fly, Megistopoda aranea Gotta love funky dipterans! It's this it or Blepharcerid pupae which always remind me of the original Mickey Mouse caps with ears. 📷 By S. Ware at the Field Museum of Natural History

Lateral view of a male bat fly facing towards the right.. the hind legs are particularly long and his tiny vestigial wings are held above its back. These flies are ectoparasites on bats.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 13/06/2025

Here are some of my later blooming iris varieties. Tango Amigo, Cinque Terre, Sunrise Splendor, Black Suited, and Be My Honey.

A collage of photos of bearded irises in different colors. The top left (Tango Amigo) is white on top and the falls are tan with a soft violet hew. Top right is Cinque Terre and it ranges from purple to dusty-rose, and gas orange highlights near the base of the falls. Bottom left is Sunrise Splendor which is mostly white with a bright gold in the center and a splotch of purple on the falls. Center is Black Suited which is nearly black with deep purple beards. Bottom right is Be My Honey which has dusty-maroon standards and the falls are a deep gold rimmed with deep wine color.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

Two of my newer varieties bloomed. Tango Amigo and Black Suited bearded irises.

Tango Amigo bearded iris. This iris has white standards (the large petals that point upwards) and a lovely tan+cream+lavender striping on the falls (the petals that curl downwards).

Black Suited bearded iris. This iris has the standards (the large petals that point upwards) and falls (the petals that curl downwards) nearly black with dark purple beards (the fuzzy part on the falls).

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

I am considering reserving a booth at Ent Soc in Portland. Let me know if you would like to see some of my work available at the conference.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

With all the funding and employment problems, I'm curious how many people are planning on attending Ent Soc 2025. Who all is still currently planning on attending?

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 26/05/2025

Everything is kind of soggy from the rain but here are my currently blooming plants in my yard (minus the irises).

A collage of flower photos.
Top row, left to right: purple spiderwort flowers, vivid Penstemon flowers, bright yellow Howard's evening primrose, the small white flowers of Apache plume.
Middle row: red Cardinal Penstemon flowers, white Cheyenne mock orange flowers just begging to peak out from their buds, orange scarlet globemallow flowers, a deep purple columbine.
Bottom row: yellow wallflower with flax, purple Penstemon flowers, a flower spike with the base starting to bloom purple with pink/red stamens/anthers, a few blueish-white flowers of Rocky Mountain sage.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 25/05/2025

~14 years (gray), 9 years (snowshoe Siamese), and 1 year (cream/pale-orange). 🥰😍🥰😍🥰

Three cats cuddling on a black blanket. Clockwise: gray cat facing towards center of cuddle-puddle with back facing outwards stretching from 9 o'clock to 1 o'clock. Snowshoe Siamese from 2 o'clock until 5 or 6. Cream/pale-orange cat from 6 o'clock until 8 o'clock. This one is shifted so that his front legs are along the outer edge of the cuddle-puddle and his hind legs are stretched out, pushing into the gray cat.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

How it's going: Watching a wasp come out of an oak gall...

A camera with a Gambel oak in the background. A small arm is extending forward from the tripod to hold the tree branch steady in the breeze.

Looking over the camera lens, you can see that I'm taking photos of the tip of an oak branch. What is hard to see is that there is a tiny gall in the middle.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

It actually opened when the sun came out for a few minutes. I've been so determined to get this species at my house! Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea).

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

My irises are starting to go. First 4 varieties are an unknown dark purple variety, Victoria Falls, Immortality, and Concertina.

Four tires of bearded iris flowers. To the top left is blue with white beards. Top right is mostly white with a touch of yellow at the base of beards/style arms. Bottom left is pink with purple and orange beards and some lavender in the center. Bottom right is dark purple.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

Floral activity in my yard today. Dogwood, spiderwort, Penstemon, honeysuckle, evening primrose, Apache plume, orange paintbrush, scarlet globemallow, flax, and wallflower.

A collage of flower photos. The types named in the post go from left top-to-bottom, then center top-to-bottom, and then right top-to-bottom. The flowers range from white, purple, red, yellow, orange, and blue.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

My gambels are producing a good number of sexual generation Disholcaspis galls. This one has the exit-hole so the wasp is already out doing its thing.

Fingers holding new oak leaves apart so that you can see in the middle of the whirl of leaves is a tiny tan colored gall. It's the size of a small grain and this one has an exit-hole on the right side where the gall wasp emerged after pupation.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

This actually made my morning way more fun and interesting than expected. Makes me want to read "Eats, shoots and leaves" again. Love the ongoing discussions about the crab court system and avoiding (in-) carcinization!

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Rudolf Meier @rudolf-meier.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

The top 10 flying insect clades rule the skies—but defy the rules. Weak or inverted latitudinal diversity gradients leave biogeographers puzzled. Entomologists? Mildly amused. www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

Current activity in my yard. IDs in alt text. #nativeplants #nativar

A collage of 5 photos of flowers. Top (large) is wallflowers (Erysimum capitatum) with flax (Linum lewisii) with a gravel background. The bottom row from left to right are a purple columbine (Aquilegia sp.), black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic'), Penstemon cardinalis, and pussy toes (Antennaria plantaginifolia).

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Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 07/05/2025

Smithsonian (Not normal Fed) is hiring an IPM Entomologist to manage the pest control programs for the National Zoo in Washington DC. Salary Range: $84,601 - $109,975 per year #entomology

usajobs.gov

Entomologist

<p>The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.  This position is located in Park Management, Natio...

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

Watching my yard wake up and start blooming is helping me manage stress levels. Here are some of my favorite blooms that are currently underway in my yard. Most are newer plants that we want to seed in those areas to create larger areas of habitat. IDs in alt text.

Yellow wallflowers (Erysimum capitatum) and blue flax flowers (Linum lewisii) with gravel and other plants in the background.

At the center there are 5 white nubbins arranged around another in the center. These nubbins are starting to open up as tiny white petals spread like little flakes peeling off of each mound. These odd flowers are called Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia).

White and pink flowers with bright green stems and deep green leaves. Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic')

The bright reddish-orange structures are the bracts of the paintbrush (Castilleja integra) which is partially parasitic on the small grass that it lives with (Bouteloua gracilis) and the stem with the green leaves and small white flowers is a Pawnee Buttes sandcherry (Prunus besseyi 'P011S').

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

As is clearly demonstrated in the photo, these two cats do not get along. They napped while spooned together for over an hour.

Two cats relaxing on a black blanket. To the left is a gray and white cat stretching its leg towards the camera. The cat on the right is a snowshoe Siamese with a dark face except for his white chin and one side of his muzzle. Both are laying on their right sides, the gray/white cat has his head rotated to nearly being upright but the Siamese cat's head is sideways in our perspective.

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Team Diptera 🪰🔍🦟🌻 @teamdiptera.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

It's easy to overlook how adorable fly "feet" are. But look at those adorable pulvilli! What's your favorite part of the fly? #FlyWeek #Flyday

An image with the text "You've seen cute kitten paws..." Next to a photo of a kitten paw pad, followed by the text "But have you seen adorable little fly feet?" Next to a photo of a macro shot of a fly's tarsal claws and pulvilli.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Loving this little combo. Those paintbrushes are so vivid. Host= Bouteloua gracilis or blue grama grass Hemiparasitic plant = Castilleja integra or orange paintbrush Photo bomb from the left = Prunus besseyi 'P011S' or Pawnee Buttes sandcherry

Gravel with a tuft of grass (Bouteloua gracilis; blue grama grass) in the center of the photo that has a hemiparasitic plant (Castilleja integra; orange paintbrush) growing with it. There is also a branch coming from the left side and it reaches the other plants in the center of the photo. This shrub (Prunus besseyi 'P011S'; Pawnee Buttes sandcherry) has small green leaves and white flowers.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

My obligatory, proud oak parent photos: My lovely gambel oaks are in various stages of breaking bud, leafing out, and lowering catkins. They are all well established now and growing vigorously so I'm excited for this year. I'm still trying to allow my gall wasp populations to grow.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

The fernleaf fleabanes (Erigeron compositus) that I planted last year have survived but not all of their parasitic paintbrushes are coming back (so far). This little one is showing off for its first full year in the ground. I hope it's proud of that gigantic(comparatively) flower! #Nativeplants

Gravel with a tiny green plant sprouting a tall (comparatively) white flower with a yellow center. It's a very large flower (~1 inch) for such a tiny plant (~1x2 inches).

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

(Larimer Co., Northern CO, seasonal observations of #NativePlants ) My golden currants (Ribes aureum) are starting to leaf out after breaking bud last week. The Solidago rigida, Agastache foeniculum 📷, and Mentzelia decapetala 📷 that I planted last year have also started sprouting.

Close up photo of the ground. Three purple circles show where the tiny Agastache foeniculum sprouts are starting to peak out between pieces of gravel. The sprouts are a purplish color making them blend into the shadows.

A small green rosette of new leaves in the center of the dried leaves from last year. Those old leaves are tan and look fuzzy. This is Mentzelia decapetala.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Quote post with a picture you took at a National Park. #Nationalparkservice Mesa Verde National Park May 2023.

The remains of cliff dwellings under a large ridge of rock. There are lots of trees below the dwellings.

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Cynipid @cynipid.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

I need help! I found these in my yard in Colorado. They were stuffed/hidden in a mat of fringed sage. Each is about 8mm wide and 10mm long. They are hard with 5 radiating ridges meeting at a slightly pointed tip. Any help narrowing it down is greatly appreciated!

From the tip of the seed, you can see the 5 radiating ridges. The seeds are held between someone's fingers.

The top seed shows a side view of the seed showing it's point at the tip and the flat base. The two seeds are in the palm of someone's hand.

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