iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

🦋 Butterfly wing patterns create motion illusions that protect them from predators! Our new study (8 years in the making) is out in Nature today doi.org/10.1038/s415... @grahancock.bsky.social @esbriolat.bsky.social @scienceanna.bsky.social @lauraakelley.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social

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Jon Aguiñaga @jon-aguinaga.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Been using @jtroscianko.bsky.social 's BehaveAI for nearly a year now! Very powerful tool to automatically classify behaviors... and now orientation! Great new update just in time for my #NSF #PRFB draft revision.

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

BehaveAI can now measure orientation. So now you can work out the behaviour of your animal in each frame as well as its direction - e.g. tells you which way animals are pointing or whether they're turning. Video guide: youtu.be/FgmtHoardWg Install: github.com/troscianko/B...

youtu.be

BehaveAI - orientation tracking - v1.4

YouTube video by Jolyon Troscianko

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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 23/02/2026

Despite advances, quantifying complex motion info remains challenging. @jtroscianko.bsky.social @kevinjgaston.bsky.social &co present BehaveAI, a #video analysis tool that sees motion as color, tracking animals & classifying #behavior in complex natural scenes @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4kTF1wX

Illustration of the framework’s structure. Users can specify primary classes and secondary classes across both static and motion video streams (a–f). The right panel shows examples of static and color-from-motion frames from case studies. The color-from-motion trails create characteristic patterns that reveal movement and behavior. The grass moth (Crambidae) is nearly undetectable from still frames due to its color, and motion blur, but it is highly salient in the motion stream (g). The semaphore fly (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) example shows how motion information can easily disentangle behaviors that are often identical from static frames (e.g., “fly” and “display” appear identical in the static frame, but different in motion). This example also showcases hierarchical classification, with secondary classifiers determining the sex of the flies (h). Sea slaters (Ligia oceanica) are highly camouflaged when static, and salient when moving, resulting in motion models that make far fewer errors (but cannot detect stationary individuals) (i). Human sperm have been classified based on their swimming movement with either symmetric (typically resulting in fast, straight movement), asymmetric (typically resulting in slow, circling, exploratory movement), or weak (twitching, vibrating etc…) strategies. These swimming strategies can be determined without tracking individuals, which is difficult in complex, debris-filled videos (j).

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Eye-opening findings on how light suppresses moth activity. Light attracts moths, but what if we've been missing a much more pervasive effect where even sky-glow light levels make them freeze? Paper: doi.org/10.1098/rspb... @uniexecec.bsky.social @esbriolat.bsky.social @kevinjgaston.bsky.social

Moth perched on a streetlamp. Our work suggests that light suppresses activity in moths, so once attracted to a light they are prevented from escape.

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Our BehaveAI paper has just come out! Easy & effective tracking & behavioural classification, even with tiny (2px), fast moving, camouflaged objects. Paper: doi.org/10.1371/jour... Download: github.com/troscianko/B... @uniexecec.bsky.social @kevinjgaston.bsky.social @jimamclgalloway.bsky.social

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Michal Šulc @biosulc.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Many thanks to all authors, namely to @scienceanna.bsky.social, @lisandrinamari.bsky.social, @jtroscianko.bsky.social, V. Jelínek and T. Albrecht, to all participants that played the egg game, to our research institute @ivb-cas.bsky.social of @czechacademy.bsky.social. And of course, to all BIRDS!

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

The final schedule for Winter ASAB is finalised, and we've got an absolutely fantastic line-up. We had 176 talk abstract submissions and just 24 slots - can't wait to see them. asabwinter.github.io/2025/schedule/ @asab-meetings.bsky.social

asabwinter.github.io

Talk schedule

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

This grass moth is often invisible in still frames, but easy to see in motion. BehaveAI can use this motion to track tiny & camouflaged moving objects in complex scenes. Its semi-automated annotation workflow also means this moth-tracker took only an hour to make. Preprint: tinyurl.com/BehaveAI

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

BehaveAI can tell you who is doing what in each video frame. This example classifies behaviour from movement and sex from static appearance such as wing markings. Preprint: tinyurl.com/BehaveAI Git: tinyurl.com/BehaveAIgithub Video: tinyurl.com/BehaveAIintro @uniexecec.bsky.social

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

BehaveAI is live! Our biologically inspired video analysis tool sees motion as colour. Track animals or objects, classify their behaviour, and handle complex natural scenes with ease. Semi-supervised annotation, no GPUs required, user-friendly, free & open source. Pre-print tinyurl.com/BehaveAI

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Winter ASAB @asab.org on *Sensory Ecology* register and submit your abstracts now (abstract deadline just a month away)! I'm organising the conference this year with @lauraakelley.bsky.social and Innes Cuthill Register & get more info here: asabwinter.github.io/2025/

Winter ASAB 2025 - 15th-16th of December in Edinburgh - with a special theme of "How sensory information affects behaviour". Register at https://asabwinter.github.io/2025/ deadline for abstract submission 29th of August.

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Just a few days left to sign up for our light pollution & insect declines workshop - FREE registration & meals - deadline for registration March 21st, and deadline for expert scan suggestions 22nd. www.visual-ecology.com/events/

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Johanna Mappes @jmappes.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

@jtroscianko.bsky.social visited us @aplantaginis.bsky.social in #viikki and gave a fantastic talk about #ALAN and its implications on nocturnal #moths. Packed lecture room and lots of fun discussion. Thanks so much for visiting!

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

We are delighted to host an RCN symposium on light pollution as a driver of insect declines. May 12th-14th, Penryn. We will draw on academics, industry, planners & NGOs to explore issues & seek solutions. Free registration, but limited places! www.visual-ecology.com/events/ @uniexecec.bsky.social

Insect populations are undergoing significant declines, and artificial light at night has been identified as a potentially major – but often poorly understood – threat to insect biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Our international symposium, the first of its kind, aims to bring together leading researchers, conservationists, policy makers, NGOs, and those working in industry, both locally and globally. We will aggregate existing knowledge concerning the direct and indirect consequences of artificial light at night for insect biodiversity and will use workshops and an expert scan of future research priorities to explore new avenues to reduce the ecological impact of light pollution.

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Caitlyn Cardetti, PhD @caitlyncardetti.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

New open-source hyperspectral imager you can 3D print for less than $450 from @jtroscianko.bsky.social. The HOSI system can take panoramic hyperspectral images that meet the difficult requirements of artificial light at night (ALAN) research. bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.... #BMCBiology

Photo of 3D printed hyperspectral open-source imager (HOSI) connected to an Android phone with a readout of an image of butterflies, with pinned/taxidermized butterflies in background.

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

Hyperspectral Imager paper out! High sensitivity UV to nearIR, full-field panoramas, radiance & reflectance, runs from a smartphone. Build the system for about $450 from 3D printed parts & off-the-shelf components. Paper: doi.org/10.1186/s129... Intro video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q8l...

youtube.com

Hyperspectral Open Source Imager (HOSI) introduction

YouTube video by Jolyon Troscianko

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Sinead English @englishse.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

Exciting PhD opportunity with @neeltjeboogert.bsky.social , @padpadpadpad.bsky.social (Exeter) and myself (Bristol) on gulls, their microbiomes, and role in transmitting disease. Details below - deadline 13 January!

Poster of PhD advert about role gulls play in spreading disease and antimicrobial resistance. More info: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/what-role-do-gulls-play-in-spreading-disease-and-anti-microbial-resistance-nerc-gw4-dtp-phd-studentship-for-september-2025-entry-ref-5431/?p178297

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Rosemary Mosco @rosemarymosco.com · 20/12/2024

Another thing I made this year: Real and implied birds.

A six-panel cartoon titled "real and implied birds". In the two panels in the top row, there's a rough legged-hawk sailing through the sky, next to a smooth legged hawk, which has smooth human legs. In the second row, there's a great-crested flycatcher looking dapper, next to an ok-crested flycatcher that has just a slightly less nice crest. In the third row, there's a mountain chickadee standing up on stones, next to a valley chickadee peeking out from a dip between stones. In the fourth row, there's a least bittern standing in some reeds, next to a most bittern that is enormous and stomping through a city, with people running in fear, helicopters overhead, and an overturned car on fire.

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Nick Desnoyer @nickdesnoyer.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

In one year, I genetically engineered the boring Arabidopsis into a beautiful ornamental flower 🧬🌹 Here is how and why I gave this model organism a visual upgrade 🧵(1/7)

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Daniel Padfield @padpadpadpad.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

JOB OPPORTUNITY! I am hiring a postdoc for 18 months to investigate the links between temperature and antibiotic resistance. Ecoevo microbiology, plasmids, and some super fun stats, modelling, and bioinformatics. To starts in Feb 2025. Please share! #exetercec jobs.exeter.ac.uk/hrpr_webrecr...

jobs.exeter.ac.uk

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Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability @exetergses.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Tomorrow is the Conservation Christmas Lecture!🎄🌍🦤🧪 This year the focus will be 'feeding the world at least cost to the planet' hosted by @kjhockings.bsky.social @uniexecec.bsky.social Guest talks aren't recorded so make sure you're on campus! One not to miss...

A poster with a decorated christmas tree in the background and a circle shaped photo of Professor Andrew Balmford. It reads: CEC Presents, Christmas Conservation Lecture. "Feeding the world at least cost to the planet". December 11th, 2024. 14:00 - 15:00. DDM LTA followed by drinks in the ESI.

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Dakota McCoy, PhD @reallymccoy.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

New paper out! We show that heart cockles use bundled fiber optic cables to transmit light through "skylights" in their shell for their photosynthetic algae. The skylights filter out harmful UV radiation. These coral analogues are cool critters!! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

nature.com

Heart cockle shells transmit sunlight to photosymbiotic algae using bundled fiber optic cables and condensing lenses - Nature Communications

Some bivalves have evolved photosynthetic symbioses. Here, the authors show that heart cockles transmit light through their upper shell to internal photosynthetic symbionts, using mineral fiber optic ...

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Johanna Mappes @jmappes.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

🧪Why does warning signal variability persist in #aposematic species? Our new @sse-evolution.bsky.social paper explores this using data from 64,741 🤯 A.plantaginis, raised over 25 generations. Spoiler: no evidence that life-history traits constrain warning colours! academic.oup.com/evolut/advan...

academic.oup.com

Evolutionary potential and constraints in an aposematic species: Genetic correlations between warning coloration and fitness components in wood tiger moths

Abstract. Variability in warning signals is common but remains puzzling since deviations from the most common form should result in a higher number of pred

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Darren Croft @darrencroft.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

5 exciting PhD opportunities to join the Center for Research in Animal Behaviour at the University of Exeter in Sept 2025. www.exeter.ac.uk/research/gro...

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Galatea H @galateainthewild.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Advent Sci-Fact 4: New headlights hurt moths! Unlike us, moths can’t blink in bright light. Moths are more likely to fly erratically towards pulses of cool toned phosphor-LEDs, compared with warmer and RGB lights. Meaning new headlights are more harmful. Paper: tinyurl.com/29avcnnx #SciComm 🧪🌍

Diagram showing a moth flying towards a car with cool toned headlights, and a moth staying still next to a car with warm headlights.

In the corner is a photograph of a cute yellow moth face on to the camera flapping it's wings. It is perched on someone's hand.

Text reads:
New headlights hurt moths! Moths fly erratically towards cool phosphor LEDs, more than warm and RGB LEDs.

In a bubble in the top right corner, text reads "Did you know? Many artifical lights are harmful to insects at night"
The background is black.

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Vivek Nityananda @viveknityananda.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Reminder that there's one week left to apply for this job. Please pass on the information to anyone who might be interested!

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Andy Young @andyyoung.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

* NEW #PhD * #Evolution #Ecology of Immune #Senesence in Wild Badgers - exciting project with me, @btschirren.bsky.social & our awesome collaborators @ APHA. Based at @exetercec.bsky.social in Cornwall, UK. !PLEASE SHARE! See www.animalsocieties.org and apply: www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin... 🌏 🧪 🦑

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Mariella Herberstein (she/her) 🌈 @mherberstein.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Help us understand how conspicuous butterflies are by playing this game! mferickson.github.io/findbutterfly/

mferickson.github.io

Find The Butterfly

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Will Allen @wlallen.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

🐵📢 I am recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to work for 6-months on our NSF-BBSRC project investigating the form and function of primate natal coats. Why are some🐒 babies🍊?! www.swansea.ac.uk/jobs-at-swan... Please pass on to potential applicants and get in touch if considering applying.

Dusky langurs - an example of primate natal colouration

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Kimberley Hockings @kjhockings.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

We’ve started our 3 year Darwin Initiative project to support human-wildlife coexistence in Guinea-Bissau! With the Institute for Biodiversity and Protected Areas and NGO Palmeirinha we’ve hired 4 Bissau-Guinean researchers & started collecting data on social dimensions 🙌 @exetercec.bsky.social

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Ines Fürtbauer @inesfuertbauer.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Corvids calling! New PhD opportunity on corvid communication in the wild. Sep 2025 start. Fully funded by @SWBio_DTP. Application deadline 11 December. How to apply: tinyurl.com/mu9y2nj9

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

New paper out showing how pulses of blue-white lights (such as those in modern car headlights) cause more harmful responses in moths compared to warmer coloured light pulses. royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/... @exetercec.bsky.social

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 02/09/2024

Play our new find-the-harvester game! By playing you'll be helping us to understand the weird and wonderful diversity in harvester colouration visual-ecology.com/harvesters/ @exetercec.bsky.social

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Graduate School of Environment and Sustainability @exetergses.bsky.social · 26/06/2024

Join us in exploring the profound effects of #ArtificialLight on our planet's ecosystems, how it is reshaping natural environments and its implications. Register for free - 11 July 12:30 BST eventbrite.co.uk/e/bright-nig... #DarkSky #ExeterESI #onlineevent

eventbrite.co.uk

Bright Nights, Dark Consequences: Exploring Artificial Light & Eco Balance

Exploring the profound effects of artificial light on our planet's ecosystems - how it is reshaping natural environments & its implications

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 27/06/2024

Exciting new gadget - a hyperspectral camera/imager that you can build for ~£350. It can measure radiance or reflectance, ~320-880nm, 9nm FWHM, customisable spatial resolution, enormous dynamic range, and a simple GUI for desktop or android. doi.org/10.1101/2024... @exetercec.bsky.social

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Jolyon Troscianko @jtroscianko.bsky.social · 24/05/2024

We're hosting a visual ecology symposium - 2nd of July - Free entry Sign up here: tinyurl.com/3b4bd647

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Rob Heathcote @rjpheathcote.bsky.social · 03/11/2023

💥Potential PhD opportunities💥 If you like any combo of antipredator colouration, collective behaviour, fish, fieldwork in nice places, or robotics, please get in touch for opportunities at my new lab starting @oxfordbiology.bsky.social 🐟🐟🐠🐠 tinyurl.com/3xvtv8s9

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Andy Young @andyyoung.bsky.social · 22/11/2023

LOVE #EVOLUTION? LOVE #BEHAVIOUR? Join our MSc in Evolutionary & Behavioural Ecology @UniExeCEC in Cornwall,UK We're training the next generation of researchers! Check it out: tinyurl.com/yc38m3m4 Get in touch: I'm the course Director Check out all of our ecology MScs @exetergses.bsky.social 👇🤟🌍🦠🧪🦉

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