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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive)

@naturesarchive.bsky.social
297 followers 305 following 71 posts

Father, nature advocate, technologist, science communicator. Creator of Nature's Archive podcast, founder of Jumpstart Nature. Ex-Google engineer/manager. naturesarchive.com jumpstartnature.com/podcast

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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
Did you know plants communicate with sound? And tiny insects "speak" by sending vibrations through plant stems? Amy Martin is exploring the incredible ways plants and animals communicate, and shares her experiences on Nature's Archive #nature #podcast! naturesarchive.com/2025/09/16/a...
Three images, with a pod of dolphins swimming at the top, the Nature's Archive podcast logo on the lower left, and Amy Martin standing on a vista with hair blowing in the wind on the lower right.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Check out my latest interview with @scitalker.bsky.social Jocelyn Bosley! Environmental topics are complex and difficult to communicate - Jocelyn helps us with effective approaches and examples. To my surprise, sometimes it is best to LEAN IN to the complexity! naturesarchive.com/2025/08/05/s...
A photo of Jocelyn Bosley on the right, and a satellite view of the Earth on the left, with the Nature's Archive logo just above. Title of the image reads "Does science communication have room for emotion and complexity? Jocelyn Bosley's approach."
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Dr. Judith Gobin recently appeared on Nature's Archive #podcast discussing deep sea ecosystems, their wonder, and the threats the face. Check it out! #marineecology #oceans #oceanecosystems naturesarchive.com/2025/03/25/d...
Image of Dr. Judith Gobin along side a whale swimming in the ocean
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 06/03/2025
This was one of the most fun episodes I've recorded, talking #earthquake #geology w/ @drwendyrocks.bsky.social! Hear what causes earthquakes, why no two are ever the same (even if they have the same magnitude), and why the Richter scale is no longer used! #podcast naturesarchive.com/2025/03/04/e...
naturesarchive.com
#111: Earthquakes: Myths, Surprises, and Hidden Dangers with Dr. Wendy Bohon
Dive deep into the fascinating world of earthquakes with Dr. Wendy Bohon as she demystifies seismic science, elaborates on the misconceptions and risks, and recounts her eclectic journey from a the…
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
Why protect or reintroduce large carnivores? @jonnyhhanson.bsky.social shows us - and how to support those who see these animals as a threat. It's an amazingly insightful conversation on Nature's Archive #podcast #lynx #carnivores #wolfreintroduction #coexistence naturesarchive.com/2025/02/11/c...
naturesarchive.com
#110: Why We Need Apex Predators – Coexistence with Dr. Jonny Hanson
Dr. Jonny Hanson dives into the provocative discussion around reintroducing apex predators like lynx and wolves, revealing the complex tapestry of ecological and human interaction. His insights exp…
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
#nativebees #pollinators #pollinatorfriendly
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
This Mason Bee (Osmia sp.) was patrolling our blooming sage plants yesterday afternoon. Here it is sitting on some old, dead leaves, which almost look a bit like leather. San Jose, CA
Small, hairy bee with green speckled eyes, blond hair, and some irredescent green on its body, mixed with black stripes on the abdomen. It is perched on some gray/brown thick curled leaves.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
#lepidoptera #butterflies
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Early season butterflies are flying here in the Bay Area! Sara Orangetip and Sonoran Blue (listed as "vulnerable"). San Jose, CA
Sara Orangetip butterfly nectaring on a white flower. The butterfly has orange tipped wings with black fringe. The underwings have dark gray splotches with yellow fringing.Sonoran Blue butterfly on a birt patch. It has blue upperwings with black and white fringes, and orange/red spots on each wing.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/02/2025
Hah! I talk about this concept a lot, too! I've had many such instances myself, but it's usually more like "I only thought there were two or three species of <organism>" but then I come to learn there are hundreds!
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Margo and the CFMC's partnerships with CalFire, Nature Conservancy, and other organizations demonstrate what can be done with perseverance, science, and traditional ecological knowledge. You can find this episode on any podcast app - look for "Nature's Archive".
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Our latest #podcast is a must-listen! I had the honor of speaking with Margo Robbins, co-founder of the Cultural Fire Management Council, about her vital work as a leader and advocate for traditional indigenous use of fire. #culturalfire #wildfire #yuroktribe naturesarchive.com/2025/02/03/c...
naturesarchive.com
#109: Cultural Fire with Margo Robbins
In a world besieged by devastating wildfires, Margo Robbins passionately champions cultural burning practices that not only secure community bonds but also protect biodiversity. This episode reveal…
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
Here's an Eastern Cottontail I saw last summer, for comparison.
An Eastern Cottontail sitting on a gravel path, showing much smaller ears.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
I wrote about this further in my monthly Nature's Archive newsletter, which you can subscribe to at naturesarchive.com/contact/
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 01/02/2025
Desert Cottontail rabbits have very large ears, especially compared to their Eastern Cottontail counterparts. Why is this? Like many animals in warm climates, they have longer appendages to help dissipate heat! This is known as "Allen's Rule", discovered by a 19th century biologist. #ecology
A Desert Cottontail rabbit in a grassy area, with large backlit ears, showing the structure of the veins within.
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Jumpstart Nature @jumpstartnature.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
There's a multi-front invasion across the globe, threatening birds, frogs, insects, agriculture, and even us. Our latest #podcast explores invasive species and what we can do to slow the advance. Inspiring and educational! jumpstartnature.com/invasive-spe... #invasivespecies #biodiversity
A "wanted" poster highlighting two invasive species: a colorful spotted lanternfly, and climbing english ivy.
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Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 25/01/2025
New Weather West post: "Widespread rain in SoCal to temporarily alleviate fire concerns by Sunday; SoCal drought still likely to expand rest of winter." I also discuss upcoming debris flow risk in fire zones. #CAwx #CAwater #CAfire #LAfires #DebrisFlows weatherwest.com/arch...
weatherwest.com
Widespread rain in SoCal to temporarily alleviate fire concerns by Sunday; SoCal drought still likely to expand rest of winter - Weather West
Extraordinarily sustained winter fire weather episode continues in SoCal through Saturday, but dramatic shift to come Southern California is now well into its driest start to the ostensible "rainy season" on record, and this week we've been topping things off with single-digit humidity and balmily warm temperatures. Moderate to strong offshore wind conditions have continued
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 23/01/2025
It's January, yet Gray Hairstreaks are flying in San Jose, CA. The abnormally warm and dry winter has caused my native sage to start blooming early, attracting this subtly beautiful butterfly. #lepidoptera #butterflies #biodiversity #nativeplants
A gray hairstreak butterfly, with gray wings adorned with orange, white, and black spots, feeds on purple flowers of a sage plant. The hairstreak has two thin tails on its wings, which is said to be why it is called a hairstreak.
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Strange by Nature Podcast - Your Weekly Weird Nature @strangebynaturepodcast.com · 30/12/2024
You wanna watch me feed a Great Horned Owl? Here you go. #Owl #Nature #Naturalist
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Strange by Nature Podcast - Your Weekly Weird Nature @strangebynaturepodcast.com · 15/01/2025
New Episode! Male #wasps that “sting” with their genitalia. Irritating #caterpillar hairs in your eyes. The endangered Dragon Blood #Tree. #Nature #Podcast #Strange #Scicomm www.podbean.com/wlei/pb-uwbq...
podbean.com
Surprise! Defensive Genitalia
Victoria kicks things of this week with a fascinating new study on Potter wasps showing that the males actually can defensively "sting" even though they don't have a classic stinger. If you are a fan ...
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 22/01/2025
Dr. Walt Koenig discusses the phenomenal lives of some of the most amazing birds - Acorn Woodpeckers - along with the phenomenon of acorn masting. One teaser: did you know Acorn Woodpeckers primarily eat insects, not acorns? #acornwoodpeckers #naturepodcast naturesarchive.com/2025/01/13/a...
Image of Dr. Walt Koenig and an Acorn Woodpecker holding an acorn in its beak.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 24/12/2024
Bird's Nest Fungi! No matter how many I see, I'm always astonished at this tiny miracle of fungus. This photo shows various stages! As they mature, they open up creating a cup with "eggs" (periodoles) that contain many (millions?) of spores. #mycology #fungi
Macro photo of at least eight tiny bird's nest fungi. Five are yellow/orange nubs about 1 cm wide. Three are mature grey cups with very light blue/grey "eggs" of spores. There is a small leaf affixed to one side of the small twig upon which these fungi are growing.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
I'm always extra excited when I find insects with obligate relationships with native plants because these insects are the foundation of the food web. Insects like these convert photosynthesized energy to forms that spiders, birds, and other animals can use. It's nature's life support system.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
It happily meandered onto my finger as I was manipulating the leaves to get better photos. I've seen a few lace bugs in the wild (different species, which depend on different plants), but this is a first for my yard.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Look at this amazingly alien creature I found in my backyard today: a Toyon Lace Bug, Corythucha incurvata. As you might guess, it was found on my backyard Toyon, along with several dozen of its relatives. #biodiversity #nativeplants
Tiny brown insect with huge bulging eyes and clear wings sitting on my fingernail.
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🦋 Alie of the Woods 🦋 (is looking at lichen in the cemetery) @humanbyweight.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Give the gift of hundreds of cicadas and wasps this year with the Owlfly Holiday Sale! Books are 20% off with the coupon code HIBERNATE, now through December 31st. www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
Two books are propped upright against a wooden cabinet, titled "The Cicadas of North America" and "The Social Wasps of North America". Both books show many colorful examples of the respective insects on their covers. Various holiday ribbons, garlands, and lights are strewn about the edges and foreground of the photo, which I shamelessly pilfered from my mom's attic.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
Flashback to June 11, 2023, when I stumbled upon a few hundred Pacific Chorus Frogs (tree frogs) along an urban San Jose, California creek. #amphibians #naturephotography #urbanwildlife
Multiple pacific tree frogs lined up on a thing and narrow plant leaf.Tiny pacific tree frog staring at the photographerProfile view of a pacific tree frog with green and black strips, hiding in a plant with a beautiful faded green background
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
So, I dug around on the biosite link, didn't see a podcast link (unless it's the YT link??). thesciencemaven.com had a podcast link, but I couldn't click on it (running the latest chrome). So, yes, please post the podcast link directly - would love to listen.
thesciencemaven.com
Dr. Raven The Science Maven
Elevate your science knowledge with multi award-winning molecular biologist and science communicator Dr. Raven the Science Maven. Expert in STEM, science education, and creatively communicating scient...
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Now lets put some native plant hedgerows around the through the vineyards, and some owl boxes, and we're adding to biodiversity, too.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 30/11/2024
Paraphrased: Sun’Agri attributed the gains to the ability to optimize the microclimate, moderating temperatures, increasing humidity, and reducing irrigation needs by 20% to 70%. It also helps protect against frost. As a result, plants' survival rates improve, with mortality reduced by 25% to 50%
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
New byte measure dropped.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Ants have multiple castes (like queens and workers). And some ants even have additional roles within their societies. For example, some ants have specially evolved heads that they use to literally plug the entrance to their nest! You get the idea - I hope you tune in to Nature's Archive for more!
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Did you know some ant colonies nest in areas as small as acorns? While others have colonies that span for hundreds of miles? It's true!
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Did you know leaf cutter ants don't eat the leaves they cut? Rather, the leaves are used to grow fungi that they eat instead. Yes - these ants are farming!
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
Ants are perhaps THE MOST incredible classification of organisms on Earth (in my opinion). So I was delighted for ant specialist @chloejelley.bsky.social to appear on Nature's Archive #podcast in this week! I'll add a couple crazy facts I learned in this thread. naturesarchive.com/2024/11/25/a...
naturesarchive.com
#106: Why Ants Might Be the Most Interesting Creatures on Earth with Chloe Jelley
Ants are the amazingly interesting, but overlooked heroes of our ecosystems, outnumbering us in staggering numbers and exhibiting complex social structures. Their surprising behaviors, from farming…
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Amanda Monthei @amonthei.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Not on Instagram much anymore (only letting myself check it on desktop) but I love when my non-fire/forestry friends send me rage-bait videos about how "they're clear cutting our old growth!" and ask me what my thoughts are on it.
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Elizabeth Kolbert @elizkolbert.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Vanuatu's statement on the outcome of #COP29 sums it up nicely: “It’s not enough. It was never going to be enough.”
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
Interesting area of study! The nonprofit I founded is working on a podcast episode about the impact of community/feral cats. I'd love to ask you a few questions if you have the time?
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
BTW, it doesn't look like bsky has an edit option so I'll have to let my error re: mass provision vs lay egg in situ stay. Hopefully the pedantic reader will see your comment.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Tribe Psenini identified by John Ascher.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
Backyard nature observations can be downright amazing. Check this Aphid Wasp looking for an aphid to lay it's egg in, but a cadre of ants are protecting those aphids! Why? Learn more next Monday when Nature's Archive #naturepodcast releases our ant episode with @chloejelley.bsky.social!
An aphid wasp, which lays its eggs in aphids, approaches a flower bud covered in over 100 aphids. But a half dozen ants are protecting those aphids.
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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Hover flies as so awesome. Here’s Palpada vinetorum, which I photographed recently in the Texas Hill Country.
Photo of a robust, brown bee-like fly with alternating stripes standing on a spire of purple flowers against a gray sky.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
Absolutely! Hoverflies are an excellent gateway into discovering biodiversity in people's yards or neighborhood parks. I love to point them out on bioblitzes, birding walks, and every other change I get. Almost every time people are like "What!!? That's a fly? I had no idea."
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Rachel Hollis @rachelhollisart.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
A bit disconcerting when one of the world's largest moth species is attracted to your headlamp! Found this beautiful Hercules Moth in far north Queensland. #wildoz #wildlife #nature #biodiversity #insects
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Assembling California by John McPhee. Too much nonfiction for me lately...I really need a good fiction read to mix things up.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
We still have some pollinators out and about in NorCal, such as this Common Checkered-Skipper seen in my front yard. Love that blue/gray color! #backyardwildlife #lepidoptera
Common Checkered-Skipper with wings spread.
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
@chilipossum.bsky.social
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
Awesome! I've yet to see one in real life, but I had a podcast guest tell me all about them in this episode. I feel terrible that it has been three years and I still haven't gone dockfouling. naturesarchive.com/2021/10/11/d...
naturesarchive.com
#32: Cricket Raspet on Dockfouling – finding amazing sea creatures the easy way
Summary My guest today is Cricket Raspet (@chilipossum on Instagram). Cricket is a Curatorial Assistant at the California Academy of Sciences, specializing in marine mammals.  She’s a passiona…
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Michael Hawk (Nature's Archive) @naturesarchive.bsky.social · 16/11/2024
@katharinehayhoe.com is an awesome climate scientist who combines that with superb communications and outreach skills. But I'm guessing 99% of people reading this already know that. :)
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