iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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The Ronettes Pickering @stoatie.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

People who keep pointing out that golf courses use as much water as data centres as some sort of defence of data centres drastically underestimate the amount we also hate golf.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

I’m French and even though we lost, the small finale yesterday was so much better than what I’m watching right now.

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Nick Pettigrew @nick-pettigrew.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I had a great 2.5 days at the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand Conference here in Ōtautahi Christchurch. Met lots of lovely people and had some very nice convos! My only gripes were the needless use of AI in some presentations and the tiny cups of tea! #scanz26

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Great Southern Bioblitz @gsbioblitz.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

The first record of #GSB2025 is in! 📍 Mangawhai, New Zealand 🦋 Pūriri Moth (Aenetus virescens) — NZ’s largest moth! 📸 by young naturalist Joseph Knight Read more 👉https://www.greatsouthernbioblitz.org/group/great-southern-bioblitz-explorers/discussion/6f1af2e4-f75f-410a-b0cc-d4eb53dc3395

inaturalist.org

Pūriri moth (Aenetus virescens)

Pūriri moth from Mangawhai, New Zealand on October 24, 2025 at 12:00 AM by Joseph Knight

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 22/10/2025

My neighbour across the road is sweeping her driveway… in 140km/h winds. A driveway lined with large trees… Definitely the thing to do with a red warning in place for Christchurch 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ #Oct23storm

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Airports are such strange places that seem to exist outside of reality. Why did this cost me $15? We will never truly know…

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Heather Hendrickson @drhhnz.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

This year I have the pleasure of watching stick insect hatch from their tiny eggs! These are native species Acanthoxyla inermis according to @morganemerien.bsky.social very cute! #NZLabLife #Insects en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acantho...

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

Proud of France, but sad to see Latvia being so shafted.. also feel sad for Iceland #Eurovision

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Rod Begbie @rod.begbie.com · 17/05/2025

#Eurovision has a way of grinding down your sense of normality, to the point where you see an Italian puppet mouse delivering votes, and only register surprise by the fact they gave 12 points to the UK entry.

A puppet mouse gives the results of the Italian jury

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

My #Eurovision top 6 are: 1. Latvia 2. Estonia 3. Sweden 4. Luxembourg 5. Armenia 6. Austria. Obviously France is in my top because I love Louane, but I can’t vote for my own country!

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

My thoughts so far! Latvia has definitely been my fave right now #eurovision

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Faine Greenwood @faineg.com · 17/05/2025

“Keep it straight guys, said no one ever at Eurovision” with a Swiss deadpan did in fact send me

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Very much enjoyed today’s Strands! 😁😉

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

This gorgeous creature is the prickly stick insect (Acanthoxyla prasina), one of New Zealand's 23 species of stick insect. Huge thanks to @morganemerien.bsky.social for pointing this out on a recent University of Canterbury field trip - it's great fun teaching entomology! #Invertebrate 🧪

A photograph of a brown stick insect standing on a tree stump, with its head and front legs raised in the air.

A photograph of the head of a brown stick insect, with its black and yellow patterned compound eyes in focus.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Ngāokeoke Velvet worm is the New Zealand bug of the year for 2025! Congratulations to the champion! www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...

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Stacy Farina @stacyfarina.bsky.social · 03/06/2024

Do you work in ecology/evolution? Did you do a study that is too small to publish as a full manuscript? Negative results? Part of a larger effort? Consider publishing in microPublication Biology: EEB! www.micropublication.org/journals/bio... Short papers, one figure. And we peer review! Please RT

micropublication.org

microPublication - Get Your Data Out, Be Cited

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becca laurie @imbeccable.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

it genuinely sucks that basically nothing on the internet works well anymore. search? barely works. social media? filled with garbage engagement-bait designed to game the algorithm. news websites? pages that refresh at random or so covered in video ads that it’s impossible to read stories

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

When you take a new route on your walk, you unlock new houses to view and that’s pretty fun.

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Sensory Ecology Lab @sensoryecology.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

“When low on water, some plants make high-pitched clicking noises, inaudible to humans. Female moths… appear to key in on the distressed din and steer clear in order to lay their eggs on plants that will better feed their caterpillars after hatching” #scicomm www.sciencenews.org/article/thir... 🧪

sciencenews.org

The screams of thirsty plants may prompt some moths to lay eggs elsewhere

Female moths may pick up on the ultrasonic wailing of distressed plants and opt to lay their eggs on different, healthier plants.

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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

'When Notre-Dame reopened on 7 December, it was thanks, in part, to the efforts of 175 researchers with expertise across a range of disciplines: acoustics, art, data, history, archaeology, anthropology.' Example of why blue-skies research matters for 'real-life' problems we've not yet imagined. 1/2

timeshighereducation.com

The academics who helped breathe new life into Notre-Dame

Five years after a devastating fire, the Paris cathedral has finally reopened, with the help of a vast team of researchers

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Heather Hendrickson @drhhnz.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

I have NZ native stick insects in a terrarium in my office and I could not be more pleased. Fascinating wee beasts! Many thanks to Mike for his stick insect hunting leadership! #StickFriends @adzebill.bsky.social @robcruickshank.bsky.social @morganemerien.bsky.social

An upturned terrarium that has wild NZ plants in vases and a mesh screen for ventilation.

A close up of the terrarium. Many native NZ plants are visible and a single brown stick insect feasts on Kabila in the centre. Very hard to see though!

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

The long wait is over- #Bug of the Year 2025 nominee list is now live! Voting opens January 1st, so you have until February to decide on your top three nominees & place your votes! Winner announced on Valentine’s Day! 💚 Who will steal the crown from Kahukura? bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...

A photo collage of the 2025 bug of the year nominees.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

Question for people with uteruses - have you experienced #period symptoms getting worse with age? 😭

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Madre Swift Justice @madreswiftjustice.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Gisèle Pelicot graces the cover of Vogue Germany, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

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Margaret Stanley @ecostanley.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

So exciting to hear Sandra Anderson give her plenary talk at #NZES2024 - as last year’s winner of the society’s Ecology in Action award. She has supported & inspired so many students & researchers over the years- amazing talk!

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Biological Recording Company @biologicalrecording.co.uk · 19/11/2024

The taxonomic biases in biodiversity data are growing over time. The amount of data we are collecting is growing, but the biases get bigger. We need to make a conscious effort to study the understudied! #SciComms #Science #Taxonomy 🧪 image from Troudet et al 2018 @natureportfolio.bsky.social

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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 20/11/2024

Some of what I do as an entomology curator is Chrysis management.

Microscope photograph in side view of a brilliant metallic blue wasp in the genus Chrysis with black wings, dead and pinned through the thorax. The photo shows tremendous detail of the fine hairs and pits on the insect's body.

Wide angle photograph of a glass-topped museum drawer filled with little white trays full of small insects. The trays are labeled "Chrysis spp." and other various species names in the genus Chrysis.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

My favourite part of my job is when people find stick insects and bring me to them! 😂 this beauty is a prickly stick insect, Acanthoxyla prasina 💚

Selfie with a stick insect on top of my head

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

Jürgen is all of us entomologists 😂 still love this moment! #gbbo

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I always say stick insects as the best introductory insects. They’re big, but don’t move too quickly, don’t bite/sting. The ‘gateway bug’ really. This is a group of children doing a treadmill to allow the sticky to walk from hand to hand. A great way to introduce kids to how cool insects are! 🌿💚

Children’s hands hour per together in a circle with a green stick insect walking from hand to hand.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

I have spent the weekend snerdling. I am a master snerdler i think.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Went to Hororātā Highland Games on Saturday. A definite highlight was the kilted mile run! 😂

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

Lil’ intro-Kia ora my name is Morgane Merien. I’m an entomologist & science communicator, working at Canterbury Museum. My main goal in life is to convert everyone into a bug lover 💚🐛 In my current job at the Museum, I work on many different areas (not just insects) which is super fun! Follow along!

Excerpt from my PhD graduation with my thesis abstract shown.

Me standing in front of a digital screen which advertised a meet and greet session ahead of the new season of my show Bug Hunter

Behind the scenes of shooting Bug Hunter

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Frank Ashwood @frankashwood.bsky.social · 10/11/2024

I've been posting a lot of springtail-related content lately, so this is a reminder that mites are amazing too! Now I know it's only November, so a little early, but somehow this mite's wardrobe is giving me festive vibes... 🧪

A photograph of a red-bodied mite with long red dorsal seta and fluffy white material on its back. The mite is walking on some decaying wood and extending a leg forwards.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Sometimes, I wish I could live the life my cat is living. No worries or stress.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 29/10/2024

Do you know what pisses me off the most about these brand new townhouses?? Most of them have put artificial grass in the tiny square of garden they give you! Supposedly for “easy maintenance”!? Arghhh 🤬 yeah easy to maintain when it’s all DEAD.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 13/10/2024

Honestly, Surgeons: At the Edge of Life is an incredible show! Not for the faint of heart, but so interesting.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 12/10/2024

The Aurora last night. We waited for quite a while but well worth it. It was spectacular! 🌟

A photo of the Aurora taken from Christchurch.

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Needhi Bhalla 💅🏽 @needhibhalla.bsky.social · 04/10/2024

I recently expressed a desire to shift the culture in academic research to one that values scientists as much as the science they produce. This article does a really good job of that in the context of scientific fraud 🧪: www.thetransmitter.org/science-and-...

thetransmitter.org

A scientific fraud. An investigation. A lab in recovery.

Science is built on trust. What happens when someone destroys it?

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 06/10/2024

I feel the need to share pictures of my little terror, his name is Merlin and he is 1 and a half years old. His favourite thing to do is shredding cardboard, of which I supply plenty because he rules this household. #cat 🐱🐈

My cat Merlin with his head tilted and staring at the camera. He is sitting in a cardboard box.

My cat Merlin laying on his cardboard scratching thing.

My cat Merlin with his head in a large flat cardboard box, which he has chewed a hole in himself.

My cat Merlin biting the corner of a cardboard box.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 07/09/2024

I’ve learned a new word today - “DULOSIS: The slave-making behaviour of certain parasitic ant species, in which the workers raid nests of other species and remove pupae. These are then reared as slaves in the nest of the dulotic ant species, and pass on foraged food to their captors” 😬😬😬 🐛

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YOLOBirder @yolobirder.bsky.social · 01/09/2024

Wren Diagram

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 01/09/2024

Well that was fun! Tried to see how many iterations there was!

My name written out in photos using the land sat images.

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Dr Morgane Merien @morganemerien.bsky.social · 31/08/2024

Luxury = going to sleep without putting an alarm on for the next day.

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