iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Jen C Mars @jencmars.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

It's #WorldBeeDay and I love bees! This is a silvery leaf bee from last Invertober. Most of our beautiful (and helpful!) bees are solitary bees like this one.

Digital illustration of an extremely fluffy pale colored bee with huge green compound eyes and a yellow and black striped abdomen against a bright green background

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

I'm Here Live I'm a Kat @katsharki3.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

We had a very impressive view of a reef squid inking right in front of the camera this morning on @coralcitycamera.bsky.social @sarahmackattack.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAno...

youtube.com

"Awww, you guys made me ink!"

YouTube video by Kat Mowle

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

73% of mothers with kids under 18 are in the workforce. More than flowers or brunch, working moms need: -Paid family leave -Equal pay -Universal childcare (But get your mom flowers, too)

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Derek Hennen, Ph.D. @derekhennen.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

The worm snake, one of those leaf litter finds that's startling before you say "oh okay" and get back to looking for centipedes. Northern Virginia.

A thin curled up snake on top of leaf litter. It is brown dorsally and pink below, with a pointed tail and black eyes.

Hand next to the snake giving a sense of scale; the snake is quite small and thin compared to my hand.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 06/05/2025

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a giant bark aphid (probably Longistigma caryae) feeding out in the open like this. They pierce right through bark into the phloem with an almost unsettling ease. Absolutely amazing creature. #Aphididae #hemiptera #Invert #macrophotography 🪲🪳🌿

An extreme close-up macrophotograph of a giant bark aphid, likely Longistigma caryae, positioned on tree bark. The insect's head and thorax are in sharp detail. Its compound black eyes, segmented antennae with fine bristles, and mouthparts are visible as it feeds. The body is covered in a fine, powdery substance, and its legs are reddish-brown, thin, and jointed, anchored against the rough bark surface. One of the aphid’s transparent wings can be seen folded back, reflecting subtle iridescent colors. The background is black, isolating the aphid in focus.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 06/05/2025

In which I feel joy for the bird, followed by immediate sadness for the bug. A rollercoaster of emotions.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

lukelukeluke @lukelukeluke.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Here are some nice mushrooms

A quartet of scarlet elf cup peep out from between fallen branches and logs on the forest floor. All photos by me

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

tine @tine5.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

A Trilobite Beetle (Platerodrilus svetae) from Northern Borneo! They are part of the genus Platerodrilus and the females retain their larval form as adults (larviform females). #Invertefest #trilobitebeetle #insects #pixelart

high angle view pixel art of a trilobite beetle - it resembles a trilobite, with black plates going from larger at the anterior to smaller at the posterior, with orange edges and orange spots at the back of each plate, with a pair of legs from the first three segments. It's on mossy ground.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Auke-Florian 🪹 @aukeflorian.nl · 11/04/2025

So very hyped that @nature.com made a video about our study on microplastic in caddisfly casings! 😱🎥 Watch it preferably next to a creek... some of them might want to tune in too. 🍿🐛

youtube.com

Microplastic pollution found in insect casing from 1971

YouTube video by nature video

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Paul Byrne @theplanetaryguy.com · 22/04/2025

Happy Earth Day, friends. Our homeworld, seen by the crew of Apollo 8 in 1968.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Dakota Smith @weatherdak.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

Earth is so pretty.

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Becca Clement, PhD @drbeccasbugs.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

I passed this apple tree on my walk today. Two different colors of blossoms! Plant grafting, the fact you can just take two different plants and grow them on the same plant, is amazing!

A tree with half pink and half white blossoms

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

mo 🐛 @inchywerm.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

SHOP IS NOW OPEN! these 4 vinyl stickers are currently up for grabs!! 🐛🐌🐟👟 ill be including little traditional doodles with my orders!! hope you enjoy!! #smallbusiness #art #stickers

shop flyer including images of the 4 cute vinyl stickers available

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Jeremy Berg @jeremymberg.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

My quote of the day Faith and science can be united in charity if science is put at the service of the men and women of our time, and not distorted to their detriment or even destruction. Pope Francis, June 2024

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lukelukeluke @lukelukeluke.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Guy 1: these flies taste funny Guy 2: how do they taste Guy 1: they taste with their feet Guy 2: wow l learned something

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

D. Allan Drummond @dadrummond.art · 21/04/2025

What a beast 💚 #invertebrate

Female green darner dragonfly (Anax junius) close up on my hand

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Paula Adams, PhD @peadams.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

My NSF postdoctoral fellowship was one of the grants terminated yesterday. Devastating is an understatement. Thankful for a supportive admin with a plan to support me for now.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Wil Wheaton ❌👑 @wilwheaton.net · 19/04/2025

Maybe we should honor the women who were real astronauts. From left to right are Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, Anna L. Fisher, and Sally K. Ride. NASA selected all six women as their first female astronaut candidates in January 1978.

From left to right are Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, Anna L. Fisher, and Sally K. Ride. NASA selected all six women as their first female astronaut candidates in January 1978.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Colton the fish squeezer🐟🪴📚🏕️🐝 @fishsqueezer.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

You're probably tired of glacier lilies but I love them and you chose to follow me so...check out this ethereal white one! I love running across weirdo individuals and populations that don't match the classic phenotypes. #nativeplants #bloomscrolling 🌿🌱

A creamy white glacier lily flower with skinny, tulip-like foliage rises from a sunny slope, with distant forested and snowy mountains out of focus in the background.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Geology Johnson @geologyjohnson.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Another successful trip. Found lots of fossils including some fish bones and possible pterodactyl prints. #whitby #geology #paleontology

Photo of grey rock with long thing chocolate coloured fish bones. And a normal human hand.

Photo of a human foot (normal) in a yellow walking boot. Next to a large yellow and red ammonite.

Photo of a grey rock surface with a normal human hand next to a three toed reptile print made of yellow green sandstone

Photo of a grey rock surface with a human hand (normal) coveted in thin branching red brown fossil burrows.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · 16/04/2025

1. Quick—which of these shapes is different from the others?

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Domenic Pennetta @domenicpennetta.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

My last #ink drawing did so well I had to post another one! Here’s a tumbling flower #beetle 🪲 they’re named after the crazy movements they make to avoid predation—first they jump, then they spin as they fall down! #sciart #scientificillustration #wildlifeart #inkart #nature #invert #insect #bugsky

Pen and ink illustration of a tumbling flower beetle, Variimorda villosa. Art by Domenic Pennetta.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Meredith Willmott @leafhopper.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

YEEEEAAAAHHHHH

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 12/04/2025

Today we’re talking about one of evolution’s strangest tools: the ovipositor. Hymenoptera probably began as plant-feeders in the Permian. Parasitoidism evolved once in the Late Triassic. By ~142 Ma, some ovipositors became venomous stingers. 🧪🌿 #Invertebrate #bugsky #Hymenoptera #macrophotography

Extreme macro image of a carpenter bee's stinger, a smooth, needle-like structure emerging from a patch of reddish-brown hairs on the abdomen. The stinger is part of a modified ovipositor, used defensively to deliver venom. Unlike honeybees, carpenter bee stingers are unbarbed, allowing multiple stings. A clear droplet of venom glistens at the red-tinted tip, poised for use. This reproductive-origin organ is only found in females, as males lack both ovipositor and stinger.

Close-up of a cuckoo wasp’s ovipositor, a delicate, golden-brown structure arching downward from a brilliantly metallic blue-green abdomen. This ovipositor is used not for stinging but for laying eggs inside the nests of other insects, a parasitic behavior. The wasp locates a host nest, then uses this tool to deposit eggs, which hatch and consume the host’s larvae or stored provisions. The colorful background accentuates the iridescent textures of this kleptoparasitic wasp.

Macro image of a wood wasp’s ovipositor, a robust, drill-like structure designed to bore into wood. The image shows the cutting part near the tip, equipped with serrations for sawing through bark and into tree trunks. This female lays eggs inside the wood, often accompanied by a symbiotic fungus that helps digest the plant tissue for developing larvae. The image highlights both the ovipositor’s evolutionary specialization for wood-boring reproduction.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

leifcollectsbugs @leifcollectsbugs.bsky.social · 12/04/2025

Paranthrene simulans, (Grote, 1881), a Batesian mimicry MASTER! #educational #science #entomology #bugs #moth #wasp #insects #lepidoptera #batesianmimicry #nature

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 01/04/2025

One of those moths that screams don’t touch me absolutely stunning in an alien critter kind of way. The caterpillar of Orgyia leucostigma flaunts bold colors and urticating hairs as a warning. Nature’s way of saying “look, but no touch” #Erebidae #macrophotography #entomology #insects #lepidoptera🌿

The White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma) caterpillar is hard to miss—those bright red glands and bushy tufts are a warning. This species uses urticating hairs for defense, which can irritate human skin. A striking example of Lepidoptera strategy.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 27/03/2025

@entsocamerica.bsky.social is offering membership fee waivers for those affected by recent firings across the United States. They are also running a donation fund to help cover these fees. If you want to support your fellow #entomology community, donate! If you need help with a fee waiver, apply! 🧪🌿

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 09/03/2025

Oncometopia from the last light trap of the season. #entomology #bugsky #hemiptera #Cicadellidae

This image shows a close-up of an insect, specifically a sharpshooter (family Cicadellidae, subfamily Cicadellinae). The insect displays vivid coloration, characterized by intricate patterns of orange, gray, and black. Its wings have a complex pattern of grayish-blue with black markings, complemented by vibrant orange patterns on its pronotum and the base of its wings. The head and thorax also have bright yellowish-orange coloration with distinct dark markings. The body patterning is detailed and intricate, typical of sharpshooter leafhoppers. The insect is photographed against a textured, pale fabric background, highlighting its distinct coloration and morphological details.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Bex Cartwright @bexcartwright.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

This was pretty cool - spotted an oil beetle in a plant pot right outside the house today. It was happily munching on a daffodil. Can only think that a solitary bee must have nested in that planter last year @liamolds.bsky.social

Oil beetle on a daffodil leaf in a plant pots

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Becca Clement, PhD @drbeccasbugs.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

These are some of the probationary people fired from my agency. Top insect identifiers.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 09/03/2025

Here's the plan: I'm gathering five (or more) fired entomologists, some featured in recent news, in Harrisburg, PA, for ESA's Eastern Branch Meeting. Help us highlight their stories; support for travel is appreciated! #entomology 🧪 esa.confex.com/esa/2025eb/m... www.gofundme.com/f/help-displ...

gofundme.com

Donate to Help Displaced Entomologists Share Their Stories, organized by Armando Rosario-Lebron

Border and national security has been dealt a devastating blow… Armando Rosario-Lebron needs your support for Help Displaced Entomologists Share Their Stories

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Becca Clement, PhD @drbeccasbugs.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

More business card art while I figure out what to do next in this #firedfed life

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Armando Rosario-Lebrón @rosariolebronentomology.com · 10/03/2025

My first-ever photograph (and sighting) of an aquatic moth (genus Petrophila), a unique group whose caterpillars live underwater, breathing through gills (which kind of look like nematodes to me) and grazing on algae and diatoms. #entomology #leptidoptera #bugsky #insect #invertebrate

A small Petrophila moth rests gently on a vibrant green leaf. Its delicate wings are patterned with subtle bands of tan, white, and dark spots, creating a striking contrast against the bright leafy background. The moth's slender body is positioned quietly, blending seamlessly into the peaceful natural surroundings.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

What a different world we could have.

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Saimi Hanma ⚔️ サイミ @saimihanma.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

This week's daily 5 minute drawings were stonefly nymphs. #Invertebrates #TradArt

An open sketchbook with illustrations of 7 different types of stonefly nymphs, like squat hairy body builders who never skip leg day, in white ink on black paper

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Evelyndroid's Aperture Science and Bugge-Finding 🏳️‍⚧️🕷️ @apsciencebylyn.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Look at this little red-head 🥹 I've missed him and his tiny adorable people (Naphrys xerophila) #EmotionalSupportSpood

Little grey salticid boy on a dry pine needle, he has a bright red-orange top of his head, and happy expressive palps he's waving as he peers right at you

The little man on a twig, waving his palps and peering at something to right of frame

The little man on a stick, big black eyes peering at something to left of frame

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Bugz n Slugz @moistmacro.bsky.social · 09/03/2025

The warmer evenings are bringing the spiders out in the garden. I believe this to be Zygiella x-notata - against a nice whitewashed wall. #Spiders #Arachnids #Invertebrates #Spoofs #Macro #Insects

A close up photo of a spider that has a brown head. Its back is also brown but with a flash of silver running through the centre of it

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Paige Jarreau @fromthelabbench.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

Looking for scientists to feature! Is your work affected by mass firings and defunding of federal science? Tell us your story! Bit.ly/faces_of_science #sciart #scicomm

A female scientist looks at a flask. Text: They can’t fire science. Tell us your story. Link: bit.ly/faces_of_science

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Paige Jarreau @fromthelabbench.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

I love seeing all the #standupforscience pics!!! On my end I’m working with science artists to create illustrated features of scientists affected by the federal budget cuts and mass firings. If that’s you please give us the honor of featuring you! forms.gle/r2qufNqMMgR1...

forms.gle

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

@amybisinthewoods.bsky.social 🍄🍄‍🟫 @amybdogsandfungi.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

As I’ve said, there isn’t much fungi around right now (more 🌧️ coming soon so 🍄‍🟫) but I always stop and check spots where I’ve found Lichenomphalia lichen before. Yesterday I was rewarded with one adult and a baby, luckily close together. Zoomed out ⬇️ #fungifriends #fungi #mycology #naturephotography

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Lindsay Lindhult, PhD | Science Illustrator & Arthropod Artist @lindzeamays.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Printing another batch of bookmarks! Lots of markets coming up quickly this spring. I am one busy bee. 🎨🐡🕷️🐝🌱

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Tom Astle @tjalamont.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Here is your Monday Midday Mantis. This was a small, quick species, only 2-2.5 cm. long. I like the dark spot on the head, which I thought made it look 3-eyed. (Borneo) 🐙🌿👁️👁️👁️

A closeup photo of a mostly green mantis on green leaves, with black in the background. The mantis is seen in side to three-quarter view, but has its head turned to face the camera. It has dark antennae with a yellow band about halfway along the length, black and tan forelegs, a yellow "lip," and brown and yellow compound eyes. There is a dark spot on the forehead between the compound eyes which looks a little like a third eye.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

mo 🐛 @inchywerm.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

oh yea, bug spread #bugsky #art #sketchbook

a colorful sketchbook spread with illustrations of stylized insects such as a centipede, an earwig, and a longhorn beetle.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Alt National Park Service @altnps.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

Musk’s status as a “special government employee” limits him to 130 days in the executive branch. However, despite working daily—documented by his own X posts—they claim he only works one day a week, effectively stretching his limit to 130 weeks. This needs to be brought to Congress—please share.

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Tom Astle @tjalamont.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Friday #Flyday! Why is this pretty little fruit fly (family Tephritidae) blowing bubbles? Does it just like playing with its food? No, it's concentrating the nectar by sucking the droplet in and out to evaporate some of the water. Lots of nectar-feeding flies and bees do this. 🐙🌿📷 #insects 🫧

A macro photo of a small fly inside a yellow flower. The fly, which is pale colored and has vivid, almost day-glo green eyes, is facing mostly forward. A close look reveals that it is holding a clear droplet of nectar in its mouth, almost as big as one of its eyes. Many flies and bees hold droplets out in the air like this, to help evaporate some of the water and concentrate the nectar.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Tetragonisca stingless bees return to their hive. Colombia.

Photo of two hovering orange insects, with short antennae and thick dangling hind legs, at right against a pure black background, facing an upturned translucent waxy funnel at left.

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Reposted by Becca Clement, PhD

corey @mycolocore.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

#HappyFriday 🤍 𝘓𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘶𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘴 / Weeping Milk Cap #fungifriends #nature #photography #northcarolina #mushrooms

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Katie Hinde @mammalssuck.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Y'all making me remind you about the DEAD KID FAMILY PHOTO INDUSTRY we put out of business with vaccines. Please let's not bring that industry back. Measles is on the move AND IT SHOULDN'T BE! www.bbc.com/news/uk-engl...

bbc.com

Taken from life: The unsettling art of death photography

In Victorian England after-death photographs became a way of commemorating the dead and blunting the sharpness of grief.

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