Got my hands on this amazing social insects trump card game, developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social & her team to support inclusion bursaries for IUSSI conferences. It even has my favourite bee 😍🐝! If you want your own, for fun, outreach or teaching: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

Congrats also to Dylan Thatcher and Alexis Gkantiragas for winning the prize for best student talks and to Cassandra Uthoff and Annie Joseph for the being awarded with the best poster prizes.

The @iussi-nwes.bsky.social that we organised this week in Leuven (18-19 December, www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings) was a success! @rmash.bsky.social and @patrick-kennedy.bsky.social delivered fantastic keynote talks and there was a great set of contributed talks and posters.

My first experimental PhD paper is finally out! 🎉 We investigate trace conditioning in honeybees and its links to awareness processes and serotonin 🐝🧠 Combining behaviour, computational modelling (by Andrea Alamia), and neuropharmacology ⭐ Read it here: doi.org/10.1016/j.is...

@patrick-kennedy.bsky.social talks about so many fun social evolution dramas at @iussi-nwes.bsky.social winter meeting #wasplove

@rmash.bsky.social from @ucl.ac.uk opening @iussi-nwes.bsky.social winter meeting in Leuven! #CareAsACapacitor

POSTDOC ALERT🚨 Two exciting social evolution postdoc positions live today! We're looking for two excellent field biologists. Join us to explore the evolution of sociality in wasps across Africa. Apply by 11th January. Collaboration with @dustinrubenstein.com @bristolbiosci.bsky.social

One week left to register for our Winter meeting in Leuven 🐝 🐜 🪳 🕷️ 🌺 👇👇👇

IUSSI-NWES@iussi-nwes.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Still 2 weeks left to register for our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪! Register here: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: 18-19 Dec Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution @KU Leuven (@twenseleers.bsky.social) We have an exciting programme, incl. Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

Bumbling around over what to get your loved ones for Christmas? Look no further! Your answer to fun, learning & festive family competition is here. Social insects trump cards, available at the Winter Meeting. Order today: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi All proceeds go to funding inclusion bursaries.

Still 2 weeks left to register for our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪! Register here: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: 18-19 Dec Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution @KU Leuven (@twenseleers.bsky.social) We have an exciting programme, incl. Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

🚨 Deadline to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December has been extended to 31st October 2025 🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

IUSSI-NWES@iussi-nwes.bsky.social · last yr.

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

New research article! 📰 Cavallo & @patdettorre.bsky.social examined behavioral traits, showing consistency over time, with no correlation between exploration and aggression 🐜 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #AntBehavior #ExploratoryActivity #Aggression #Colony #Personality #EvoEco #Ants

You like card games & social insects? Then check out the amazing new Social Insects Trump cards game developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social and her group. It's the perfect 🐜🐝🪳-themed gift and you'll support the IUSSI widening participation & inclusion initiative: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

You like card games & social insects? Then check out the amazing new Social Insects Trump cards game developed by @elvarobinson.bsky.social and her group. It's the perfect 🐜🐝🪳-themed gift and you'll support the IUSSI widening participation & inclusion initiative: www.iussi-nweurope.org/edi

🚨 Still 10 days left to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December; 🚨 Registration is now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings

IUSSI-NWES@iussi-nwes.bsky.social · last yr.

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

🚨 Still 10 days left to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December; 🚨 Registration is now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings

IUSSI-NWES@iussi-nwes.bsky.social · last yr.

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching! Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings Date: December 18-19 Abstract deadline: October 15 Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social

And of course, don't miss our paper out now in @currentbiology.bsky.social: www.cell.com/current-biol...

Superefficient teamwork in weaver ants

Nesting weaver ants combine into chains to pull leaves together. Stewardson, Carlesso, et al. show that, unlike humans, weaver ant teams are superefficient: individual force output grows alongside tea...

cell.com

🌟Looking for a PhD? 🌟 check out this exciting opportunity in integrative biology with an amazing PI! 👇🏽👇🏽

Chris Jernigan@chrisjernigan.bsky.social · last yr.

I am recruiting PhD students to join my lab at Wake Forest University Fall 2026. Current projects focus on the neurobiology, behavior, and development of identity processing in paper wasps. Contact me if interested. Deadline to apply is Dec. 15th 2025. Please share! #PhDposition #PhD #wasplove

📌North-West European IUSSI Winter Meeting 2025 We are happy to announce that our next meeting on the 18–19 December 2025 will be in Leuven, Belgium, hosted by @twenseleers.bsky.social and his team. Plenary speakers: Ido Pen & Rahia Mashoodh @rmash.bsky.social More details to follow 🐝🐜🪳🪲

So fab to hear these stories of dining with wasps! PLEASE submit your observations on the #HamOrJam #WaspPicnicSurvey to help us learn more about how wasp preferences change with season and location. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... @uclnews.bsky.social @uclcber.bsky.social #WaspLove

Ham or Jam - What are wasps after at your picnic?

Summer time means wasps visiting picnics! Sometimes they go for protein (e.g. ham) other times it's sugar (e.g. jam). Learning about the type of food wasps are after tells us about their life-cycle an...

docs.google.com

Lydia@coyoteprince.bsky.social · last yr.

Omg... my partner and I had a lunch outside a while ago and seeing a wasp trying to go at our chicken, offered her her own piece which she peacefully took. Just watched her in fascination as she used her mandibles, dining with her. Still a special memory. Great animals.

New research article! 📰 Kovac et al. measured CO₂ production in Polistes wasp larvae/pupae using respirometry, revealing different metabolic rate for P. gallicus larvae and P. biglumis. 📈 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #WaspEcology #Metabolism #Physiology #Paperwasp #Pupa #Climate

New research article! 📰 Das & Gordon monitored the disposal of seed husks in colonies, showing consistent disposal delays only under certain conditions🗑 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #WasteManagement #Pogonomyrmex #NestMaintenance #Ants #NestHygiene #Foraging #TaskAllocation

New short communication! 📄 Richardson et al. used hand-feeding experiments and a cross-fostering design to demonstrate that larval size reduction stems from impaired adult brood care, not direct pesticide toxicity. 🧪 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #BeeHealth #Ecotoxicology #Bumblebees

🚨Just published🚨In Bolivia’s Yungas, we studied 3 rescued stingless bees sp. We found distinct foraging patterns within & among species → niche partitioning at multiple levels. 🐝🪻🌺#Pollination #Meliponini #Neotropics doi.org/10.1111/btp.70… @biotropica.bsky.social with @pammsantana.bsky.social

Entomology could be key in the fight against super-resitant bacteria 🦠! According to several recent studies, social insects have simbiotic relationships with bacteria that produce antibiotics capable of inhibiting the growth of many human pathogens 👉 pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

New research article! 📰 Farji-Brener et al. found foragers with ≥6 hitchhikers drop leaves more often, but naturally carry ≤5, balancing defense with transport efficiency. ⚖ 🔗 doi.org/10.1007/s000... #SocialInsects #Foraging #EvolutionaryTradeoffs #LeafcutterAnts #Behavior #Atta #AmazonianForest

@ltgoncalves.bsky.social ‪@pedropezzi.bsky.social @mdepra.bsky.social @francosoe.bsky.social analyzed mitonuclear coevolution in 55 bumblebee species, finding strong evolutionary rate correlations between mitochondrial and nuclear-interacting genes. 🔗 doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evaf123 #genome #bees

📢 Workshops at Behaviour 2025 📢 We are delighted to present a range of workshops at Behaviour 2025! These workshops are thoughtfully designed to offer hands-on, skill-based training across a range of topics from behavioural and cognitive sciences to journal publishing and science communication.