iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Torsten Dikow @tdikow.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

#WorldRobberFlyDay Australasian Asilidae: male Chrysopogon albopunctatus (Macquart, 1846) (Brachyrhopalinae, USNMENT00832795) from Western Australia, Australia - an amazing wasp mimic - more info at n2t.net/ark:/65665/3... #asiloidflies

assassin fly mounted on pin in lateral view

assassin fly mounted on pin in dorsal view

assassin fly mounted on pin in frontal view

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

First round of malaise trap setups from this past weekend. The vastly under-collected Colorado Plateau (at least for ichneumonids) is one of my main focal areas this year. This first spot is near Kanab, Utah. #ichneumonidae #entomology #malaisetrap #insect #hymenoptera #diptera #trackerwasps

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

The species lists can now be can now be filtered by state or country to help narrow down options for identification. #ichneumonidae #entomology #trackerwasps #insect #taxonomy

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Michael Caterino @mcaterino.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

It is a unique pleasure to have someone send you pictures of a species you described. It's like a report that one of your kids is doing all right. This beauty is Orectoscelis westwoodi, a myrmecophile (probably with Pheidole) described back in 2005 from Queensland, AU. (photo by Jan Pražák)

a beetle glued to a point. Its head points left, with sausage-like antennae attached to large shielding scapes. The body is punctate, dark brown, and the elytra have gigantic, ear-like rounded bulges, with a golden fringe of setae along their inner edge (handles, we believe, for the ants to grab).

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Tapani Hopkins @tapani-hopkins.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

I'm just finishing interpreting the DNA barcodes on my wasps, and now it turns out you can regularly have different barcodes in the same (sawfly) wasp! 😅 Nice work, and something to keep in mind when splitting wasps into species based on DNA.🧪

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Lots of new features on ichsofna.org: - species lists now provide complete synonym history - hover over a species name to see a popup with images (if available), a distribution map, and a list of recorded hosts - toggle species between Nearctic and worldwide #ichneumonidae #insects #entomology

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Michael Caterino @mcaterino.bsky.social · 09/02/2026

A long time in preparation, the 'big monograph' from my sabbatical last year is finally submitted. These beauties (and about ~350 more) will soon be known to the world!

Photographs, Harmomima spp. A–C, J, K H. glabra (body: dorsal, ventral, frontal; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral) D–F, L, M H. prominens (body: dorsal, ventral, lateral; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral) G–I, N, O H. sulcata (body: dorsal, ventral, lateral; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral).

Photographs, Thesium spp. A–C, J, K T. apicalis (body: dorsal, ventral, lateral; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral) D–F, L, M T. crenulatum (body: dorsal, ventral, lateral; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral) G–H, N, O T. magnaclavus (body: dorsal, ventral, lateral; aedeagus: dorsal, lateral)

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

I've added country species distribution data from Taxapad (still need to get data for a few subfamilies) to ichsofna.org. By clicking on a country/state you will get a list of all ichneumonids that occur there (up to 2016). #trackerwasps #ichneumonidae #insect #taxonomy #biodiversity #entomology

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

New #IONA feature! The choropleths on the genus page now not only show diversity per state/province, but when you click on one, it will show you the list of recorded species. ichsofna.org/Ichneumonina... #wasps #JS #ichneumonidae #entomology #biodiversity #taxonomy

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 13/01/2026

Been adding a lot of new species to ichsofna.org. Here's a stunning species of as yet unidentified Glypta from Wyoming. It's no trivial task to ID these since there are 316 Glypta species in North America! #insect #entomology #ichneumonidae #parasitoid

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Tapani Hopkins @tapani-hopkins.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

Two interesting things in this paper: Idiobionts* were caught more in the dry season, koinobionts not, which is what I'm starting to see in the Ugandan data too. 40 trap years of collecting gave only 10,000 wasps, wonder why so much less than in Uganda? 🤔

scielo.sa.cr

Seasonal Variation of Idiobiont and Koinobiont Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) on Barro Colorado Island, Panamá

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

Here are the figures for the two new Ctenichneumon species. How many differences can you spot?? #entomology #Ichneumonidae #parasitoid #insects #taxonomy #newspecies

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

From website development to image classification apps, I've been interested in improving ID resources for a long time. I've been exploring using NotebookLM as an ID tool and am extremely impressed. Here's a test based on one of my publications: #entomology #taxonomy #ichneumonidae #insects #ai

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Working on describing this couple of new Ctenichneumon species from the Huachuca Mountains in #Arizona. Too bad they are both singletons! Hopefully someone can find the males eventually. #insect #newspecies #entomology #nature #photography #ichneumonidae #trackerwasp #wasp

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Added a few newly collected Ichneumon species to Ichneumonids of North America. Amazingly, I've found 31 different species based on females when records only show 4 for the state! Compare that with 57 species in Main, which is probably a fairly complete inventory. #entomology #newspecies #taxonomy

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Soh Kam Yung @sohkamyung.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

My first pseudoscorpion observation was pure luck. Happen to see this wasp and took a shot. It was only later did I see what was hanging on the antenna. On iNaturalist [ www.inaturalist.org/observations... ]

A brown pseudoscopion hanging on to the antenna of a wasp. The wasp is yellow with black stripes and transparent wings.

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

Very preliminary but below should be a #newspecies and the first record of the #ichneumonid genus Patroclus in the US! This newly collected singleton specimen is from central Utah but Patroclus is neotropical, getting as far north as Mexico. #taxonomy #insects #wasps #Hymenoptera #parasitoid

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 21/09/2025

I've only sorted and pinned a very small fraction of the ichneumonds collected by the 6-meter Malaise I have in central Utah. Among other discoveries is a new species of Tricholabus! #Ichneumonidae #newpsecies #entomology #insects #Utah #taxonomy #wasps

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Torsten Dikow @tdikow.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

#FlyFriday one of my favorite assassin flies - Sisyrnodytes subater Oldroyd, 1957 (Asilidae: Willistonininae, USNMENT00870084) - collected in north-western South Africa near Pella - more info here n2t.net/ark:/65665/3... #asiloidflies

fly specimen double-mounted on insect pin, frontal

fly specimen double-mounted on insect pin, dorsal

fly specimen double-mounted on insect pin, lateral

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Lee Dyer @gusanero.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

So many undescribed species, too many unknown interactions, no time. www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/17...

New species of wasp. Images of head and wings.

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

My friend Cameron Ramsey (chrysomelid taxonomist) and I have a 6-meter Malaise trap set up in a wash in central Utah right now. Between the large trap size and the location, it's collecting an insane amount. There's going to be a lot of bycatch for anyone looking to trade!

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Jakob Jilg @weevil-see.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

I started a blog and my first post is online! The posts will try to explore topics which are not typically covered by introductory literature and textbooks, e.g. because they are considered to be "too basic". Let me know what you think! weevil-see.github.io/taxonomy/Ide...

weevil-see.github.io

Species Identifications: Common Pitfalls

Some thoughts about Identifications. How do we identify properly? How do we avoid mistakes?

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

For all the lep enthusiasts out there celebrating #NationalMothWeek, please check out #ClaridgeTraps for a great light sheet setup! Let me know if you have any questions!

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Torsten Dikow @tdikow.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

studying #asiloidflies at @amnh.org today - one of the best collections of apiocerid flies (Apioceridae) with almost every of the 65 North American species present - often with primary + secondary type material

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Andrew Johnston @andrewjohnston.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Want to set up your own photo-stacking imaging system for under $3000? This post which outlines all the off-the-shelf items I used this year along with some recommendations for how to use it. Planning to talk about this at @entcollnet.bsky.social this November, too! www.insectid.org/post/focus-s...

insectid.org

Focus-stacking photography: Building your own system

Ten years ago, Alex Wild published a guide on Scientific American on how to make your own focus-stacking system for under $6000. I can't seem to find that post any more, just some secondary posts with...

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Karl Magnacca @kmagnacca.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

The corollary to this is, with some basic knowledge of insect taxonomy, you too can become the world expert on a group! Just spend a few years obsessively reading about and looking at them and you'll know more than anyone else. The downside is you'll then be asked to review every paper on them...

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Happy to announce that my paper describing Anisobas irwini and recording two host records for Anisobas coloradensis is finally out! The species name honors the prodigious collector Mike Irwin who collected the holotype. centerforsystematicentomology.org/insecta_mund... #Ichneumonidae #parasioid

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

New Plagiotrypes species from Arizona I'm working on describing. The genus is otherwise known from eastern NA and the wet neotropics, so it was surprising to discover this one from an arid mountain in southern Arizona.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

ZooKeys @zookeys.pensoft.net · 14/05/2025

A revision of the parasitoid wasp genus parasitoid wasp genus Dolichogenide of the Neotropical region, with the description of 102 (!) species as new to science: doi.org/10.3897/zook... #DNAbarcoding #biodiversity @alexsmithants.bsky.social @smnstuttgart.bsky.social @uofguelph.bsky.social

Composite image showing detailed views of a parasitic wasp.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Journal of Hymenoptera Research @jhr.pensoft.net · 09/05/2025

Description of two morphologically unusual new neotropical genera of Miracinae: doi.org/10.3897/jhr.... #taxonomy #entomology #Hymenoptera

A photo showing a close-up lateral view of a small parasitic wasp specimen. The wasp has a slender, dark body with light brown and yellowish legs. Its antennae are long, segmented, and thread-like, extending forward. The wings are translucent with a noticeable iridescent sheen and distinct venation patterns. The head is small with prominent compound eyes.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Jaswinder Boparai @jasboparai.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Diphyus latebricola #parasitoid #newtobritain. Grateful to @entmonmag.bsky.social for all their support in bringing this to publication. tinyurl.com/5c5xvh9b

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Dr Sho Jacobs 🍁 @shoshanahjacobs.ca · 07/05/2025

102 new species?! So important to get to know our community, including those of non-human form 🪲🐜🪳 #Diversity #GDFCF 🧪

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

There are a ton of undescribed western Ichneumon like this beautiful female from northern Utah. Despite running traps for several years I've only ever collected this specimen and seen one other. #MacroPhotography #insect #ichneumonidae #wasp #newspecies

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

So many Ichneumonids, so little time. I collected this Exetastes bifenestratus, a species I'd never seen before, at a blacklight in central Texas.

Crisp photo in side view of leggy red wasp with banded black and orange wings, with a metal pin through its thorax, against a neutral gray backdrop.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Tapani Hopkins @tapani-hopkins.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

I mean, just look at some of these stunners!

Female Epirhyssa quagga wasp. This is the holotype, the wasp I used to describe the new species. Long ovipositor, colours like a zebra's.

Male Epirhyssa overlaeti wasp. This was the first male ever found. Really spectacular colours, and a general body build which is surprisingly.. there's no other word for it.. plasticy. If I was told he was made of Lego, or was a wax model, I'd believe it, despite having collected him myself.

Female Epirhyssa johanna wasp. This is the holotype which I used to describe the new species. She's also the only wasp of this species ever discovered. Very pretty, golden honey or orange colour, really long ovipositor. And one snapped antenna. Not that I'm thinking how an undamaged antenna would have been better for a holotype.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Sam Thomas @sjthomasbotany.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Swift moth caterpillar-eye view of a female Alomya debellator wasp - a specialist parasitoid of root-feeding Hepialidae which it hunts in the caterpillar's underground burrow.

Face on macro of a black and orange-brown wasp with large jaws and curled antennae

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Adam Haberski @ahaberski.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

You can’t make this up. Actual message from Dept. of Interior: “because your facility lacks adequate fire suppression, we recommend NPS specimens be transferred or destroyed.” #government #entomology #museum

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

For everyone missing my talk on image classification at PBEntSoc on Tuesday, here are the main points: 1. We need taxonomists to train AI models based on museum specimens. The iNat AI is amazing but will never get to the specificity we need. #AI #insectIDs #Ichneumonidae #taxonomy #insects #wasps

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

I'm happy to announce we're shipping out our first orders of Claridge Traps light sheets! If you're tired of stringing a sheet between two trees, why not support a fellow entomologist and his growing insect trap business? Use the discount code "Bluesky" to get 10% off your order for the next month.

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

When available, more images can be seen by clicking on a species of interest.

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

There is a lot of functionality on IoNA (ichsofna.org) that most people aren´t aware of. Here are a couple of videos explaining what can be done with the filterable galleries. #Ichneumonidae #Ichneumoninae #biodiversity #JavaScript #insect #wasp #parasitoid

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Does anyone have experience with the GBIF API? I've been exploring using it to enhance Ichneumonids of North America (ichsofna.org), including populating point occurrence maps and image galleries. Any suggestions for other uses?

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

A beautiful undescribed Melanichneumon species from southern #Utah collected by VFITs in a gamble oak thicket. Ichneumonids are still massively undercollected in southern Utah. More undescribed species can be seen at ichsofna.org #ichneumonidae #newspecies #undescribedspecies #trackerwasp

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to secure funding to expand my ichneumonid AI ID tool on ichsofna.org. But if any curator is interested in becoming self-sufficient with my AI workflow (imaging to deployment), I'd be happy to help set up the system for a reasonable contract fee.

ichsofna.org

Ichneumonids of North AmericaInformation Website for the Ichneumonidae of North America | Ichsofna.org

Discover the fascinating world of North American ichneumonid wasps. Explore species galleries, taxonomic information, and advanced insect identification tools for researchers and enthusiasts.

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Scott Gilmore @scottgilmore.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

I tried @ichsofna.bxky.social ichsofna.org subfamily classifier. One got a strong hit to subfamily Banchinae and it sure looks similar to Banchus species shows at www.zoology.ubc.ca/entomology/m... pectinate tarsal claws, scutellum with an apical spine pointing backwards and cool to look at!

Side view of pinned entire wasp which is pale reddish yellow

Repeat if the first photo next to a graph suggesting this is from the subfamily Banchinae

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Brandon Claridge @ichsofna.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

Here are a few of the tens of undescribed Ophion species from the western US. More can be seen on my draft guide page for North American Ophioninae: ichsofna.org/Ophioninae/g...

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Reposted by Brandon Claridge

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

I've been imaging some of our searcher wasps (Ichneumonidae), in a futile attempt to stay ahead of the hyperdiversity. There are seemingly endless variations on these wasps. This is Tromatobia notator, found in a coastal marsh along the Texas coast.

side view microscope image of a long orange pinned wasp specimen against an even gray background.

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