iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Look at this eDNA paper from the Khelifa lab, nicely led by Jordi and his first PhD paper! Great collaborative work and very humbled to have been part of the team. It shows air samplers can detect insect DNA & we compare to Malaise traps to assess potential. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/PBASXY...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Toward Repurposing Global Passive Air Sampling Networks for Insect Monitoring: Promises and Pitfalls of Airborne eDNA

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Is it just me or do three long (12hr) fieldwork days (one in a kayak, the other two in chest waders) in four days hit hard when one is in their 40s? Because even though they were good days, wow, I'm hurting. May have to rethink how I do research...

Tip of a blue kayak in the middle of a river lined with trees with a cloudy sky. The reflection between sky and water is perfect because the water is very calm.

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David Shorthouse @dshorthouse.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Last month of operations for ww.simplemappr.net. There are now a few solutions to replace most of the functionality. See the bottom of docs.google.com/document/d/1...

ww.simplemappr.net

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Shhhh. Sleeping Canada geese. I had to step around them looking for aquatic insect exuviae! Glad they didn't see me as a threat. 🐉🪰🧪.

A group of about 15 Canada geese lying and sleeping, and one preening, on the shore with water just a few steps away behind them in the background.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

The yummy part of field work! It's muggy and hot on the restored mining sites surveying pollinators and odonates to determine if these sites can recreate healthy ecosystems in Abitibi Temiscamingue but these nature treats are a nice welcome 🤗 🧪🐝🦋🐉🪰

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RES Publications @respublications.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

New #OpenAccess work by @jjmlynarek.bsky.social et al. in #RESInsectConsDiv found Canadian boreal restored mining sites sustain diverse #pollinator communities, including species of #conservation concern doi.org/10.1111/icad.70103 #Biodiversity @manusaunders.bsky.social @wileyecology.bsky.social

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

First of many that are on the way because the research continues!

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Une heure bien passée durant l'évenement 2026 de vulgarisation scientifique Soapbox Science. Un plaisir discuter avec le publique sur les enjeux de biodiversité et conservation des insectes. La curiosité des enfants m'a impressionée le plus. @espacepourlavie.bsky.social @soapboxscience.bsky.social

Une discussion entre 6 femmes dans un park qui entoure une affiche sur la qu'elle est écrit Julia Mlynarek; Les insects: Les messagers secréts de la planète.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Had a great time chatting with people about insects at the Soapbox Science Montreal 2026 event. It's great to see genuine interest in insect research (biodiversity and conservation) and so many good questions especially for kids. (Photo: Jacek Mlynarek)

In a park two women listening to another woman talk with a blue soapbox and pink sign that says Julia Mlynarek; Les Insectes: messagers secret de la planète. On the soapbox a black insect pop-up cage with a red flower and pollinators inside as a prop.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

1st of many papers from a great collaboration with Prof. M. Guittonny. This part lead by Dr. A-S Caron. The story: Canadian boreal restored mining sites sustain diverse pollinator communities including spp. of conservation concern. 🐝 🧪https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.70103 @espacepourlavie.bsky.social

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

I'm participating in Soapbox Science Montreal and will be talking and chatting about .... (You probably guessed it) Insects! If you're around Montreal, come on by don't be shy and say hi!

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

One of my research projects 🧪 takes me in a kayak on a river where my collaborators where we will survey at-risk dragonfly 🐉🪰 species' emergences, flight & oviposition, analyse the water & sediments, & map the river bottom. Spent the day yesterday measuring/flagging specific segments on the river.

River edge seen from a kayak with measuring tape being pulled by second kayak to delimit segments for a dragonfly exuviae and habitat survey.

A woman in a cap taking a selfie on a river. River in the background, tree with no leaves yet with a blue sky.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Hanging out with some mining bees (Andrea sp.) on crocuses on a sunny and exceptionally warm Friday evening. 🐝 and pollinators season is back!

Five white crocuses seen from above, three of them have a mining bee resting inside

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Stephen Heard @stephenbheard.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

New preprint! Sure, you COULD name a fly Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides - but should you? How do naming choices affect the attention we pay to species? www.biorxiv.org/cont... New work with Julia Mlynarek 🇨🇦 and Stefano Mammola! (photo via zookeys.pensoft.net/...)

A long narrow-bodied fly with a narrow wasp waist.

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David Shorthouse @dshorthouse.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

Happy to see @rdmpage.bsky.social make progress on this iphylo.blogspot.com/2026/03/simp.... I like the "simplicity" of the interface & the cleaner approach Claude AI took with dependencies. And, tests! The original SimpleMappr relied on thousands of unit tests, which contributed to its 18yr run.

iphylo.blogspot.com

SimpleMappr is dead, long live SimpleMappr?

Blog by Rod Page on biodiversity informatics, taxonomy, systematics, phylogeny, knowledge graphs, and other topics.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

#wildflower will have to wait in Quebec on this second day of spring. Waiting impatiently for the spring ephemerals. 💐🌼🪻

A smiling woman in a big orange winter coat, a colourful wool hat and fogged up glasses standing in a snowstorm with snow covered trees in the background.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Going through a mini ice storm. The power is out and I'm thinking to myself how nice and quiet it is (no appliance background noise); already my thinking is clearer and I'm more at peace. I like it! Maybe I should have chosen a life off the grid...

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Going through oldish photos on my phone and found this goodie. Parenting win ! 🧪📘. More recent. Kiddo still loves books although now she prefers they have pictures. Hope she never loses her love for books.

A 1.5 year old toddler in a pink dress sitting on a couch holding a book titled The Scientist's guide to writing. The book is as long as her legs.

A 3 year old in a unicorn long sleeve shirt sitting on her knees on the floor, flipping through a picture book.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

Such a pleasure to discuss the importance of participatory science with a great group of women (Nicole Yu, Katherine Hébert) during the #QCBS symposium. Thank you Naomi Flis for moderation and Jordi Vilanova i Broto for the invitation! (photo: Charles-Étienne Ferland) 🧪

Four women sitting in big comfy seats on a stage discussing

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Bug science is cool and has been ongoing for centuries! 🧪🕷️🐜🦗🪰🐝🐞🦋🐛🪲🦟

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Gotta develop both sides of the brain! I love encouraging my kiddo explore #stem as much as I love watching her explore her artistic side, like painting abstract #art and dancing. 🧪👩🏻‍🎨 🧑🏻‍🩰. We're lucky and privileged that she's able to explore and develop in this way.

A little 3 year old girl in a grey butterfly dress looking at a print of an x-ray of a rodent, held by an adult hand, while holding a meerkat stuffy in her hand.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

Walked through the greenhouses of the Jardin Botanique yesterday to re-energize. Lots of beautiful plants in bloom but was distracted by this cute jumping spider hopping around. 🕷️ 🌿

Little brownish jumping spider on the underside of a monocot leaf.

Little brownish jumping spider on a green monocot leaf facing me.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

My 3.5 year old kiddo whistled for the first time today! I couldn't be happier because I see myself teaching her to whistle a whole bunch of bird songs now and then going out in nature together whistling as we walk. #lifegoals #mominstem #toddlerlife

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

I've been publishing research 🧪 for 20 years & I'm still confused. This week: 1st manuscript: accepted with major revisions where they aren't that major IMO. 2nd MS: aimed a high so expected a desk reject is out for review. 3rd MS: I was sure would go out for review & got a desk rejection.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

I don't think she's interested.... I see this behaviour quite often in the Montreal Insectarium greenhouse, I wonder if it's this often in nature or if we have a higher density of butterflies in the greenhouse.

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Entomological Society of America @entsocamerica.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

As the Arctic warms, mosquitoes—and the diseases they carry—float north. A recent study finds Jamestown Canyon virus and snowshoe hare virus present in mosquitoes in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of North America.

entomologytoday.org

Tracking Mosquito-Borne Viruses at the Top of the World

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

My kiddo really loves all aquatic life (including fish, seahorses, sea stars, jellyfish, etc). So much so, she asked for a sea star (with snowflakes) to be painted on her face. I may have a budding marine biologist or ichthyologist on my hands. We'll see where this goes! #StemKid #lifewithatoddler

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

I didn't achieve all I planned in 2025 but I still did a lot of stuff. I'm learning to be ok with that; balancing work & a 3-year old is not easy. My museum director told me he was impressed with my achievements for the year. So grateful to work in such a positive environment. #lifegoals #STEMMom

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Tatort Strassenbeleuchtung @aubenews.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

there's also an English version of our press release available 'German Sustainability Award for insect-friendly road lighting' www.igb-berlin.de/en/news/germ... @igb-berlin.de 🧪💡

igb-berlin.de

German Sustainability Award for insect-friendly road lighting

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

I've been staring at some R code becoming increasingly frustrated that it wasn't working. I thought I checked the code meticulously. Finally I copied & pasted old code, it ran, I queried for the difference... I inverted 2 letters. Damn my #dyslexia! Wasting my time! Now I breathe and move on.

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Gwen Pearson @bug-gwen.bsky.social · 12/11/2025

Attn graduate and undergraduate students! 🚨 🪲 🦋🚨 New research funding opportunity from @xercessociety.bsky.social! $5000; deadline is Jan 7 2026. xerces.org/bandrosky

xerces.org

Deborah BanDrosky Award | Xerces Society

The Deborah BanDrosky Awards are made to students engaged in higher education studies and research related to invertebrate conservation.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Daycare closed because of snow but had to take kiddo with me when driving parent to the hospital for a procedure. We arrived to experience the remembrance Day celebration at the MUHC. Kiddos first. Thank you veterans. #remembranceday2025

A toddler from the back looking at a bagpiper during a remembrance day celebration in a hospital.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

My kiddo points out all the #dragonflies since I started doing some more serious research on them. Here you see a late season Sympetrum vicinium 🐲🪰.

A dragonfly resting on a purple sign with a toddler index finger pointing to it.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 04/10/2025

Water associated insects! Really lucked out to see the ones underwater and to catch the water strider while it zoomed around on water. The dragonfly nymph was especially exciting for me ! But the water boatman just floating and hanging out was very cool too. #nerdingout. #aquaticlife

Small water strider at the edge water almost climbing on a rock

Water boatman underwater with beige sediment in the background.

Dragonfly nymph hiding in sediment, legs can barely be seen.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Some of my last days of field work for the year. It's nice to get out on a river to collect some water samples for eDNA work. Fingers crossed the results will be as enjoyable as the the time spent on the river.

A woman in a baseball cap and a yellow life vest at the edge of a river with a blue kayak behind her. The river is bordered by trees that are changing colours to yellow and red.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

The Canadian government is considering cutting funding to science and research in the new budget. This petition started by a friend of mine is asking them to reconsider. Please consider signing win.newmode.net/canadianasso...

win.newmode.net

New/Mode | Make your voice impossible to ignore

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

It's a day off but I really needed to get out to sample a site. So I brought my F1 as an assistant; she asked so many good "why" questions. This kid has a future in research!

A mother and her child by a slow river sampling the water for future eDNA analysis.

3 year old girl looking I to a sweep net on the shore of a slow flowing river.

Mother and child flipping rocks to look for insects at the edge of a slow river

Mother showing toddler how to work soft tip forceps standing in water at the edge of a slow flowing river.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 01/09/2025

It's a day off but I really needed to get out to sample a site. So I brought my F1 as an assistant; she asked so many good "why" questions. This kid has a future in research!

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 24/08/2025

An elusive clubtail (Stylurus notatus) found in great condition but dead in the fountain pool. Still a learning experience for my little one where she could have a close look at it. I'm Mama dragonfly to her now. #toddlerlife #stem #entomology.

A 3 year old girl in a pink t-shirt and blue baseball cap holding a dead dragonfly in her open palm hand.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

Research at the Insectarium de Montreal. Our assistant entomologist (Thierry) & the technical team are tagging butterflies (Siproeta epaphus or rusty-tipped page) in the greehouse to see if the tags have an effect on activity & longevity of individuals. They're easier to follow in a greenhouse! 🦋

Two rusty-tipped page butterflies resting on a fruit feeding station. The one on the right with a little tag glued to the thorax.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Looking for a postdoc researcher to study odonates as bioindicators in restored mining sites. Comme join the team! À la recherche d'un.e stagiaire postdoctoral.e pour étudier les libellules comme bioindicateurs des sites miniers restaurés. Vennez vous joindre à l'équipe 😀

PDF document describing the postdoc project

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

Looking for a PhD student for a biodiversity and insect health on restored mining sites project. Some really neat questions to answer. À la recherche d'un.e étudiant.e au doctorat pour étudier la biodiversité et santé des insectes sur des sites miniers restaurés.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

I took the day off to spend a day by a lake/nature with my kiddo. I overheard two kayakers conversing and my heart sank for humanity & biodiversity. I overheard the following: Kayak1: do they put chlorine in this lake? Kayak2: no they don't. Kayak1: so we can get sick in this water? My reaction: 🤯

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Exuviae pile-up! This piece of broken reed is very popular with young damselfliesnfor their #emergence to adulthood. #aquaticinsects #fieldday #Stem

4 exuviae of damselflies on a stick with a river in the background.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

I've been doing quite a bit of aquatic insect sampling around the island of #Montreal this summer. Here are two cool finds from this week : Argia moesta damselfly exuviae and a Neureclipsis caddisfly larval casing. @espacepourlavie.bsky.social

2 Damselfly exuviae on a grey vertical rock

A cone shape looking silk bag stuck to a rock underwater

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Being #toddlersplained #butterfly colours is one of the cutest things ever. I may have a budding #lepidopterist on my hands. #stem #toddlerlife

3 year old girl in a dolphin print blue dress looking down at a book open to a page with a big orange butterfly.

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Julia J. Mlynarek @jjmlynarek.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

My kiddo found a butterfly book and now she's #toddlersplaining #butterfly colours is one of the cutest things ever. I may have a budding #lepidopterist on my hands. #stem #toddlerlife

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