Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabMattia Menchetti @mattiamenchetti.bsky.social · 16/09/2026In 2023 we reported Europe's first established fire ant population, in Sicily. Our new update: residents recall Solenopsis invicta since the 1990s, and it now also occurs in 3 more provinces, over 120 km away. We also list 78 ant species around the invaded areas. 🐜🔥 doi.org/10.21426/B6.... 0207
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabNicolas Mouquet @nmouquet.bsky.social · 01/09/2026The prettier the butterflies 🦋, the more we study & protect them! With L. Dapporto & M. Portera, we found beauty bias drives public attention, research & conservation efforts; but not IUCN Red Lists, which flag real risk. @currentbiology.bsky.social 👉 doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2026.07.049 🌐🧪🌍🦤 14312
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 02/09/2026Working hard on it all the summer vacation... getting there! 010
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 11/08/2026Hi, yes, both species present in Montes Universales. In this area P. fabressei usually without stripe or, on occasion, with a narrow one as the couple in the first picture. The second picture should be ripartii because the white stripe is wider. Working hard on the new book... 210
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabMattia Menchetti @mattiamenchetti.bsky.social · 07/08/2026Biodiversity: millions of species, impossible to collect them all. So I made a video game where you try anyway. Over 180,000 species, growing every update. Guess where they live, explore Adventure mode, build your field guide. Free, no sign-up, installs like an app. #Biodiversity #IndieGame #MSCAmattiamenchetti.comRangeQuest: Guess. Learn. Collect.Guess where real species live on the world map. RangeQuest is a free biodiversity game: learn the ranges of animals, plants, fungi and more from across the tree of life, build your Field Guide, and ex... 2105
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabCeci mp @cecimp.bsky.social · 25/07/2026"A New Challenge to Species Delimitation: Remarkable Genomic and Ecological Diversity in the Butterfly Melitaea diamina" has been published! Read it here: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... #PublishedArticle @WileyInResearch 195
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 15/07/2026Threatened Clouded Apollo butterfly conceals two species distinguishable by scent🦋 📕A study led by @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social reveals that they hybridised during the last glacial period, leaving a genetic signature in today’s Pyrenean populations.🧵 👉https://shorturl.at/0s5Zl 3198
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 28/05/2026Yes, Palaeophilotes (=Pseudophilotes) panoptes is present in SE France! Check Aurélien Gaunet’s recent study documenting the contact zone, genetic, morphological and ecological differences. doi.org/10.32800/abc... Published in ABC, a great journal by @museuciencies.cat @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social 073
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 04/05/2026📣The @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social is hosting the 3rd edition of BiodIBErsity Day, an interdisciplinary event focused on the #biodiversity crisis and planetary well-being, featuring talks by leading international speakers. Save your spot✍️ shorturl.at/Gpoz7 011
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 06/05/2026#BiodIBErsityDay2026 🗣️"From invasion success to elytral color variation: pheno-genomic insights from the ladybird Harmonia axyridis". 🐞 by Arnaud Estoup, from @inrae-france.bsky.social 📅 22 May 2026 📍 CMIMA, Barcelona ⏳ Register before May 10th👉http://shorturl.at/4LXjw 011
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabMattia Menchetti @mattiamenchetti.bsky.social · 21/04/2026The DNA barcode reference library for European ants is out! 🐜🧬 doi.org/10.1111/1755... Checklist of 650 species, ~78% covered 🧬, +6,500 COI 🧬, plus species genetic maps & trees, see Supp. Inf. "Atlas" tinyurl.com/antdnaeuatlas A framework for species discovery, biosurveillance, and phylogeography! 22513
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabValéria Marques @anguisvaleris.bsky.social · 21/04/2026Something big happened on March 27th: I defended my PhD and had so much fun doing it 🎓🎉 6332
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabProject Psyche @projectpsyche.bsky.social · 07/04/2026What if we could read the DNA of every butterfly and moth species in Europe? 🦋 That’s our goal: Sequencing ~11,000 Lepidoptera genomes to understand how they evolved, how they adapt, and how we can protect them🌎. Interview led by our hub @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social 🧬: www.lasexta.com/tecnologia-t...lasexta.comEl proyecto Psyche sitúa las mariposas a la vanguardia de la genómica de la biodiversidadEsta investigación secuenciará a escala cromosómica las 11.000 especies descritas de lepidópteros (mariposas y polillas) en Europa, revolucionando así la genómica de la biodiversidad. Ya se han secuen... 0126
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInsect Migration and Phylodiversity Lab @phylomigrationlab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026New paper! A sharp genetic split across the African equator in migratory Belenois butterflies 🦋. B. aurota is restricted to the Northern Hemisphere, while B. syrinx is reinstated for the Southern African hemisphere. Both species are cryptic! 174
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabRES Publications @respublications.bsky.social · 13/03/2026New #OpenAccess research in #RESSystematicEnt The evolutionary retreats of #Cyaniris semiargus — beach or mountain? Contrasting paths across #EcologicalGradients doi.org/10.1111/syen.70034 #ddRADseq #Lepidoptera #GeneticDiversity #Biodiversity #EcologicalSpeciation 166
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabMolecular Ecology @molecology.bsky.social · 11/03/2026Out in MEC! New study led by @dariashipilina.bsky.social links resource limitation as a driver of migration in the painted lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui). The authors show how resource cues reshape gene expression across development. Read more: buff.ly/dogof9L 📷: Daria Shipilina 1/2 12013
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabValéria Marques @anguisvaleris.bsky.social · 11/03/2026Do you prefer the mountain 🏔️ or the beach 🏖️? The Mazarine blue chose both. Genomics uncover hidden diversity and lead to the description of two new subspecies from isolated montane and coastal populations in Iberia. New #butterfly #openaccess paper in #SystematicEntomology at doi.org/10.1111/syen... 22912
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInformationsdienst Wissenschaft - idw @idw-online.de · 04/02/2025Globetrotting not in the genes | New findings about painted lady butterfly’s annual migration Painted lady butterflies are world travelers. The ones we encounter in Europe fly from Africa to Sweden, ultimately returning to areas north and sou... weiterlesen 032
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 05/03/2026Les papallones migren en direccions oposades segons l’hemisferi 🦋 📕Un equip internacional liderat per l’@ibb-botanic.bsky.social, amb participació de l’ @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social, documenta el primer cas de “divisió migratòria” en la papallona Vanessa cardui.🧬 👉https://shorturl.at/LVbhf 022
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInsect Migration and Phylodiversity Lab @phylomigrationlab.bsky.social · 03/01/2026A migratory divide in insects! 🦋 Vanessa cardui butterflies migrate in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern hemispheres 🌍, a pattern driven by a chromosomal inversion 🧬 Paper @natcomms.nature.com doi.org/10.1038/s414... #butterflymigration #insectmigration #migratorydivide #evolution 1198
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 02/12/2025El projecte Psyche situa les papallones a l’avantguarda de la genòmica de la biodiversitat 🦋 📕L’ #IBE_Barcelona participa en el projecte Psyche, la primera iniciativa transnacional destinada a generar i estudiar genomes de referència d’un ordre animal complet.🧵 👉https://shorturl.at/9ofIE 1175
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabWellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 28/11/2025The DNA of butterflies & moths is supporting conservation, shedding light on evolution, and could find new ways to stop pests 🦋 1,000 genomes have been released, and @projectpsyche.bsky.social aims to continue until all 11,665 European species have been sequenced🧬 www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/10...sanger.ac.uk1,000 butterfly and moth genomes to investigate evolution, climate change resilience, and tackle food security issuesThese freely available genomes can be used to answer evolutionary questions, inform conservation and improve food security around the world. 1207
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabProject Psyche @projectpsyche.bsky.social · 27/11/2025(1/5)Thrilled to announce our paper on #ProjectPsyche is out! 🦋We describe how we’ve generated 1000+ high-quality genomes for European Lepidoptera, providing an unprecedented resource for biodiversity, conservation, and evolutionary research. #Genomics #Biodiversity www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...cell.comProject Psyche: reference genomes for all Lepidoptera in EuropeProject Psyche is a transnational initiative to generate and study chromosome-level reference genomes of all ~11 000 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) found in Europe. Here, we describe t... 35824
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabNiklas Wahlberg @lepphylo.bsky.social · 27/11/2025One of the most exciting projects I have ever been involved in: Project Psyche! Read all about our ambitions and aims. It's ground breaking stuff, just mind blowing and even surreal (27 years ago we did single genes for lep phylogenetics)! @projectpsyche.bsky.social www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...cell.comProject Psyche: reference genomes for all Lepidoptera in EuropeProject Psyche is a transnational initiative to generate and study chromosome-level reference genomes of all ~11 000 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) found in Europe. Here, we describe t... 04817
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 12/11/2025🐜 The red fire ant is now established in Europe and could reach the UK This insightful @cnn.com interactive draws on research led by #RogerVila in #Sicily, tracing the origins, expansion, and potential impact of this invasive species.🌍 👉https://shorturl.at/XM1Ft 021
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 20/10/2025📣 Mattia Menchetti’s PhD thesis at #IBE_Barcelona — “Exploring the genetic diversity of European ants and butterflies” 🐜🦋 — has received both the Extraordinary Doctoral Award from #UPFBarcelona and the III Premio Tesis Doctoral Relevante from @csic.es . 🏆 👉https://shorturl.at/hbOjE 081
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabNiklas Wahlberg @lepphylo.bsky.social · 17/10/2025Very cool paper from @rogervilalab.bsky.social on the Canary islands Hipparchia butterflies just came out! Each island has its own species, seems like no gene flow between the islands! academic.oup.com/isd/article/...academic.oup.comColonization, diversification and speciation of the genus Hipparchia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the Canary IslandsAbstract. The Canary Islands harbor numerous endemic species, showcasing a wide array of colonization and diversification patterns. Butterflies belonging t 14513
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabGenome Biology and Evolution @genomebiolevol.bsky.social · 22/09/2025Hospodářská, @petrnguyen.bsky.social et al. investigated genome size and karyotype in Polyommatus and Lysandra butterflies, rejecting polyploidy to confirm karyotypic diversification via chromosome fragmentation in Polyommatinae butterflies. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf157 #genome #evolution 02611
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabCharlotte Wright @charlottewright.bsky.social · 18/09/2025To celebrate the genomes for 1,000 (!) species of Lepidoptera in Europe, Project Psyche has released a preprint outlining our ambitions to jointly sequence & leverage genomes of all 11,000 species in Europe to propel science, conservation & society. This was a joy to write together as a community! 02913
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabProject Psyche @projectpsyche.bsky.social · 13/09/2025(1/6) 🦋 We are thrilled to announce the release of the 1,000th reference genome of Lepidoptera species found in Europe! This goal was reached with the release of Stenoptilia islandicus, also known as the mountain plume moth. Read the story below!👇🏽 26725
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabCharlotte Wright @charlottewright.bsky.social · 11/09/2025How many chromosomes can an animal have? In our paper out now in @currentbiology.bsky.social we show that the Atlas blue butterfly has 229 chromosome pairs- the highest in diploid Metazoa! These arose by rapid autosome fragmentation while sex chromosomes stayed intact. www.cell.com/current-biol...tinyurl.comConstraints on chromosome evolution revealed by the 229 chromosome pairs of the Atlas blue butterflyThe genome of the Atlas blue butterfly contains ten times more chromosomes than most butterflies, and more than any other known diploid animal. Wright et al. show that this extraordinary karyotype is ... 421698
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabWellcome Sanger Institute @sangerinstitute.bsky.social · 11/09/2025The Atlas blue butterfly evolved 229 chromosome pairs — the most of any animal — over 3 million years, enabling new research 🦋 www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/the-tale… @rogervilalab.bsky.social @charlottewright.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social 163
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 10/09/2025La historia del animal con más cromosomas 🧬🦋 📕 Un equipo del @sangerinstitute.bsky.social y del @ibe-barcelona.bsky.socialha confirmado genéticamente que la mariposa Niña del Atlas posee el mayor número de cromosomas de todos los animales multicelulares del mundo. 👉 shorturl.at/MQVOc 071
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabRES Publications @respublications.bsky.social · 28/08/2025New #OpenAccess research by @rogervilalab.bsky.social in #RESSystematicEnt Genomic analysis of #Plebejus Kluk (#Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae) clarifies #taxonomy within Europe doi.org/10.1111/syen.70001 #Genomics #ddRAD @gkergoat.bsky.social @wiley.com Photos: Plebejus spp. (credit: Vlad Dincă) 0145
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabPetr Nguyen @petrnguyen.bsky.social · 12/08/2025Another paper on polyommatine blue butterflies just published in @genomebiolevol.bsky.social. Blues have high chromosome numbers associated with increased diversification and their karyotypes reveal strategies to maintain genomic integrity amidst profound karyotypic changes doi.org/10.1093/gbe/... 44419
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabAsociación ZERYNTHIA @asoczerynthia.bsky.social · 22/06/2025Desde ZERYNTHIA, mediante un proyecto financiado con fondos europeos del MITECO identificamos una nueva subpoblación en Orce. Contamos con la colaboración del IBE - CSIC. 🎥 acortar.link/nBRrKw 📺 Fragmento del programa ConCiencia - Canal Sur 08/06/25. acortar.link/0kliQp @rogervilalab.bsky.social 032
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabAsociación ZERYNTHIA @asoczerynthia.bsky.social · 10/06/2025🦋 La #Mariposa Euchloe bazae, una joya de muestra fauna, protagonista en Canal Sur. En ZERYNTHIA llevamos años trabajando por la conservación de Euchloe bazae, la azufrada ibérica, una de las mariposas más amenazadas de Europa. 1137
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025Constant Bloom, bridging science and art, nature and human societies, is being displayed in New York and Taiwan, and is scheduled in other top art museums. www.lucasfoglia.com/constant-blo... Check also the beautiful book www.setantabooks.com/products/con...lucasfoglia.comLucas Foglia | Constant BloomThe longest butterfly migration, and connections across borders. 020
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025We never imagined our scientific articles would be displayed in an art museum! Thanks so much, Lucas, for the joint experiences in Kenya, following the migrating butterflies, and in The Hague, admiring the outcome of your work! 130
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025I shared this experience with friends Gerard Talavera and Aurora García-Berro @phylomigrationlab.bsky.social @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social @ibb-botanic.bsky.social @csic.es @guggfellows.bsky.social www.fotomuseumdenhaag.nl/en/exhibitio... 120
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 22/05/2025Being invited to the opening of the photo exhibition Constant Bloom in Fotomuseum Den Haag was a privilege. The author, Lucas Foglia, followed the migration of Vanessa cardui across 17 countries to show how this butterfly connects societies, an art project that won the 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship. 182
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabNPR @npr.org · 17/04/2025Scientists have recently mapped the painted lady butterfly's annual flight from equatorial Africa to northern Europe and back, the world's longest butterfly migration. In Constant Bloom, photographer Lucas Foglia documents the journey.npr.orgPhotos: Scientists trace a butterfly migration route that is millions of years oldScientists have recently mapped the painted lady butterfly's annual flight from equatorial Africa to northern Europe and back, the world's longest butterfly migration. In Constant Bloom, photographer ... 231665298
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabAleix Palahí i Torres (he/they) @aleixpalahi.bsky.social · 12/05/20251/6) New paper out in Molecular Ecology! We uncover the intriguing biogeographic history behind the Holarctic disjunct distributions in Vanessa butterflies. @phylomigrationlab.bsky.social #biogeography #insectmigration #butterflymigration #butterflies #evolution shorturl.at/UFrrU 13217
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabInstitut de Biologia Evolutiva (IBE) @ibe-barcelona.bsky.social · 07/05/2025📣 AGCTually Annotating Genomes The #IBE Biodiversity Program launches the Workshop on Genome Annotation, bringing together researchers, technicians, and master’s & PhD students.🧬🧩 👉https://www.ibe.upf-csic.es/home/-/asset_publisher/T2caeLMECPvW/content/agctually-annotating-genomes/maximized 022
Reposted by Butterfly Diversity & Evolution LabProject Psyche @projectpsyche.bsky.social · 07/03/2025Day 2 of the #ProjectPsyche Spring Meeting is complete! Participants made great progress with productive discussions on key tasks and role assignments. Stay tuned for what’s next! 🦋🧬 0215
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025Here is a link to freely access the publication authors.elsevier.com/a/1karS3QW8S...authors.elsevier.com 141
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025@IBE_Barcelona @GerardTalavera @ZEN_Laboratory @Vlad_E_D @fleshflies 140
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025The disguise is completed by chemical mimicry: the surface chemical hydrocarbons are identical to those of the termites. See the discovery and analyses published in @CurrentBiology Blow fly larvae socially integrate termite nests through morphological and chemical mimicry 160
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025The false eyes are the spiracles through which it breathes. The body is surrounded by “tentacles” that imitate the termite antennas, so that it can communicate with multiple termites simultaneously. 180
Butterfly Diversity & Evolution Lab @rogervilalab.bsky.social · 10/02/2025It’s not the head, it’s the butt! Meet a completely unknown organism: a blow fly (Calliphoridae) that evolved social integration in termite nests using a false termite head in the posterior part of the body. @CurrentBiology www.cell.com/current-biol... 524775