iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Marc A. Milne

Miguel Clavero @chikichanka.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

The log of the Dutch ship 'Gelderland' (1601-1603) had absolutely increadible sketches of the soon extinct bird fauna of Mauritius, included its flightless parrot, ibis and dodo Atributted to Joris Joostensz Laerle Check more drawings here commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categor...

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

The elephant mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus) is one of the largest mosquitoes in North America with a wingspan of 12mm! They also do not bite, as females do not use blood for their eggs. They're also predators of disease-causing mosquitoes like those in the genus Aedes. So, friends! #invertefest

A large green iridescent mosquito sits on a yellow coneflower bloom.

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Reposted by Marc A. Milne

Marshal Hedin @mhedin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

a "rocky canyon spider", genus Titiotus. great example of a radiation of many species, all endemic to California, many with very small geographic distributions we typically have to work hard to find these, but on this warm evening, saw dozens out foraging on streamside boulders see the heart ?

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Momma centipede with her legs wrapped around her eggs. #invertefest

A photo of a brown centipede in a burrow clutching a batch of yellow eggs with her legs.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

A female and male guardstone spider, Phrurolithus kastoni, from California. Last published record of an observation or collection: 1938 (88 years ago!). The male has also never been described, so this boy here is new to science! Specimens found at the San Diego Natural History Museum. #lostspecies

A male spider (Phrurolithus kastoni) from Riverside Co., CA. The spider has a dusky yellow carapace with a dark yellow abdomen bisected by a light yellow band. Yellow legs.

A female spider (Phrurolithus kastoni) from California. The spider has a dark yellow carapace with a dark gray abdomen bisected by a light gray band. Dark yellow legs.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

It may be surprising to some that there are thousands of undescribed species just sitting in museums awaiting description. One of the main reasons this problem exists is that taxonomy is undervalued and underfunded, a trend that coincides with the devaluing of studies on natural history.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Have a seat and listen to tale of twisted taxonomy from your friendly neighborhood arachnologist. This is a story about our RESURRECTION of the tiny linyphiid spider, Ceratinopsis tybeensis, known from eastern USA. #taxonomy #spiders

Male of Ceratinopsis tybeensis - a sheet-web weaving spider with a dark yellow carapace and cream-colored abdomen with yellow legs.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

This mite is a walking topographical map.

A dorsal view of a off-white mite with an abdomen that holds concentric circles.

A lateral view of a off-white mite with an abdomen that holds concentric circles.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

This jumping spider (Colonus sp.) caught her meal for the week today!

A white and tan jumping spider is shown on a leaf biting a large crane fly.

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Reposted by Marc A. Milne

Marshal Hedin @mhedin.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

uncommon view of a remarkable spider, Hypochilus the 4 white spots on the ventral abdomen are booklungs, lying just beneath the cuticle surface in most "true spiders" (araneomorphs) the posterior pair have evolved into a tracheal system, but in Hypochilus, the "primitive" condition is retained

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

A gorgeous boy! Dipoenoides quinquemaculata, in all his glory. From a DNR property in southern Indiana - a new distribution record for the state.

A dorsal view of the ant-eating spider, Dipoenoides quinqumaculata. The spider has yellow legs with black edges, a circular, brown cephalothorax, and a beautiful black abdomen with five white spots marking the circumference - giving the species its species name.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

A spitting spider (Scytodidae) from southern Texas. These spiders spit a glue that sticks their prey to a surface. They then can safely envenomate it without harm. I like the look of this one with the black stripes on a light background. It reminds me of an old timey prisoner's uniform.

A dorsal view of a black and white striped spitting spider on a white background.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

We found another long-lost species! This one is Mermessus paulus, a species that was last seen 90 years ago (1936) in southern Texas. This one was collected in the same county as the original specimen in March 2026. We also found the undescribed male, which will appear in an upcoming manuscript...

A dorsal view of a small (~1mm) spider from southern Texas. The spider has a yellow cephalothorax and legs and a cream colored abdomen.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 02/05/2026

Some fairy wasps (I think?) from southern Texas in Cameron Co. at Laguna Atascosa NWR.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Momma sparassid (huntsman spider) with egg sac in southern California. I flipped a rock and there she was. Post-photographs, the rock was replaced so she can raise her little ones in peace.

A photograph of an adult female sparassid (huntsman spider) from southern California holding an egg sac.

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Reposted by Marc A. Milne

MinnMax @minnmax.com · 23/01/2026

In solidarity with today's ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA blackout, MinnMax is donating $1 to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota for every share of this Bluesky post for the next hour.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

It's true, after years of work, Jackson Means, myself, and the late Dr. Richard Hoffman compiled a 130-page tome of Virginia spiders in the journal, Banisteria. The journal dedicated the entire first issue to this work. We add over 140 new species records to the state to stand at 713.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

This lil spikey swampy guy has spines even on his eyes! Yikes!

Lateral view of a hemipteran collected from Okefenokee Swamp NWR in southeastern Georgia.

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Reposted by Marc A. Milne

SK Winnicki, PhD 🏳️‍⚧️ @skwinnicki.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

I think it should be illegal to name your subdivision after the wildlife you displaced to build mcmansions Bobolink Acres? Not anymore, you assholes, you made sure of that!

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Reposted by Marc A. Milne

British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Some genera of Money #spiders Linyphyiidae are present as adults throughout the year, often with peak male activity in the #winter months (see chart for Walckenaeria acuminata). Whatever the weather, it's a good time to be out looking for them and their wonderfully distinctive headgear! #Christmas

Male Walckenaeria acuminata: Image thanks to Richard Gallon

Male Oedothorax apicatus: Image thanks to Richard Gallon

Male Oedothorax gibbosus: image thanks to Richard Gallon

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 16/12/2025

A cubed flat top for this southern Alabama boy.

Lateral view of Phycosoma lineatipes, a comb-footed spider in the family Theridiidae from southern Alabama.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

RE-DISCOVERY #4 Emblyna suwanea (Gertsch, 1946) (Dictynidae) was last collected by the great V. Wilton Ivie in 1943 near Sylvania, GA and hasn't been seen or collected since (82 years). We found a single male by vacuuming in the Okefenokee Swamp NWR along the Chesser Island boardwalk trail.

Dorsal view of Emblyna suwanea (Gertsch, 1946)

Ventral view of the pedipalp of Emblyna suwanea (Gertsch, 1946)

Dorsal view of the pedipalp of Emblyna suwanea (Gertsch, 1946)

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Oh to be a little tank living my life out in the soil.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 02/12/2025

RE-DISCOVERY #3 Scotinella pennimani Platnick and Chamé-Vázquez, 2024 (Phrurolithidae) was described just last year from specimens collected in 1967 (58 years ago). We found this lady in Okefenokee NWR on Trembling Earth Nature Trail just north of Stephen C. Foster State Park in SE Georgia.

The habitus view of a female specimen of Scotinella pennimani.

The epigynum of the female of Scotinella pennimani.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild: [this spider has no common name] [this spider has no common name] [this spider has no common name] [this spider has no common name] [this spider has no common name]

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Also featuring the incredible @mhedin.bsky.social and Kefyn Catley!

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

RE-DISCOVERY #2 Our trip to Okefenokee NWR has resulted in another re-discovery of a long-lost species. Ceratinopsis sutoris Bishop & Crosby 1930 was last seen in 1927 (98 years ago!) and we collected several males and females. The species has a orange-red carapace with black around the eyes.

Ceratinopsis sutoris (Linyphiidae) male spider - dorsal view.

Ceratinopsis sutoris (Linyphiidae) female spider - dorsal view.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

RE-DISCOVERY #1! Our trip to Okefenokee NWR has already resulted in a re-discovery of a long-lost species. Ceratinopsis bona Chamberlin & Ivie, 1944 was last seen in 1943, 82 years ago. In addition to possessing genitalia that match the descriptions, their black tibia IVs are also diagnostic.

A dorsal view of the male of Ceratinopsis bona. Red carapace with black around the eyes, a pink abdomen, and yellow legs with tibia IV black.

A dorsal view of the female of Ceratinopsis bona. Red carapace with black around the eyes, a pink abdomen, and yellow legs with tibia IV black.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

A shiny beetle collected from tall grass on Billy's Island in the middle of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia.

The lateral view of a shiny black green and gold beetle.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Day 4 of our Okefenokee NWF collecting trip took us to Mixons Hammock east of Stephen C Foster State Park. We canoed the two miles and then sampled mossy patches and magnolia litter in cypress swamps. Not the most productive, but we found many linyphiids for study.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

Day 3 of our collecting trip was to the east side of Okefenokee NWF (a 1.5hr drive around the southern edge) where we collected in swampy thatch/moss patches along the Chesser Island boardwalk. Found lots of erigonines, a pygmy rattlesnake, and a water moccasin. Didn't collect the snakes, though. 🙂

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Day 2 of our Okefenokee spider collecting trip went well. We were joined by Brett Tyler, a spider enthusiast at Georgia DNR. To collect, we vacuumed under Sphagnum moss mats and among Cypress knees in wet swamps and jumped off of boardwalks to get to emergent wetland vegetation. Long, tiring day.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Day 1 of our Okefenokee NWF trip completed. We canoed to Billy's Island (~2mi.), collected spiders all day via litter sift and vacuum, and canoed back to camp. Very productive and hopefully we collected some lost species.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

A fourth spider we're searching for at Okefenokee NWF later this month is Floricomus setosus. This tiny spider was last collected 82 years ago, in 1943 and was previously found "E. side of Okefenokee Swamp" in 1933. Only one male and two females have ever been collected.

The female allotype of Floricomus setosus. A tiny brown and gray spider with a small scutum (shield) on its anterior part of its abdomen.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

A third spider we'll be searching for in Okefenokee Swamp is Floricomus floricomus. A tiny, 1.5mm spider with a distinct plumose setae-covered horn on the head of males, this spider was first discovered in 1922 when it was CUT OUT OF THE STOMACH OF A TOAD that was hopping around in Okefenokee Swamp.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

Another spider we are searching for on our Okefenokee NWF journey is Idionella titivillitium. It was first collected in 1912 on Billy's Island at the edge of the swamp, which is where we are traveling to in late October. It was collected, "by sifting decaying leaves in dense shade at edge of swamp."

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

One of the spiders we are searching for on our Okefenokee NWF trip later this month is Ceratinopsis bona. Described from southeastern Georgia, this specimen hasn't been seen since it was collected for that description in 1943. It is reddish brown with black around the eyes with a gray abdomen.

Illustrations of the male palp (left) and female epigynum (right) of Ceratinopsis bona from Chamberlin and Ivie (1944).

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

In three weeks, Mike Draney (U. Wisconsin) and I will travel to Okefenokee Swamp NWF in southern Georgia in hopes of finding some lost spider species. We'll be collecting on Billy's Island and we'll have to travel by boat through the swamp to reach it. It was last sampled for spiders in 1921.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 30/09/2025

Thrilled our paper is finally out! A great collaboration between @mcaterino.bsky.social, Ernesto Recuero, and myself. We looked at endemism in spiders in southern Appalachia (largely NC). This is also likely the most species-rich phylogeny (although just COI-based) of linyphiids yet published!

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

This was one super-gravid spider! I hear people sometimes think spiders look like ticks and usually it seems a bit silly to me, but in this case I can make an exception. Ceratinella parvula (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from Eagle Marsh, IN. #arthropod #taxonomy #pregnancy

A gravid dwarf spider with a swollen abdomen.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

It's hard to express to you how beautiful this creature is. It's like a living galaxy. #arthropod #beetle

A beautiful green and blue tiger beetle from Fort Wayne, IN.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

For the last day of #InverteFest, I give you a male of Ceratinops latus (Araneae: Linyphiidae) from Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in SE Indiana. This lil guy is about 1.5 mm in length.

Lateral view of the male of Ceratinops latus.

Dorsal view of the male of Ceratinops latus.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Taxonomy has been asleep for 525 million years.

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Marc A. Milne @forthespiders.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

An infuriating article from U. Rochester school newspaper in 1957 that reflects the scientific attitude at mid-century towards taxonomy, biodiversity, and the perceived value of specimen collections.

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