New study shows there may be 2-3x as many insect species as previously estimated, owing significantly to the diversity of parasitoid wasps!

🍁 Alex Smith 🍁@alexsmithants.bsky.social · last mo.

🧪🧵 🪰 🐜🪲🐞🦗🐛🦋🪳🦟 How many species of insect are there?  A seemingly simple question, but one that has been 'bugging' scientists for years.  Our work out today suggests that there are millions more than we had previously expected.  doi.org/10.1073/pnas... @gdfcf.bsky.social

Had such an incredible experience in DC this week advocating for insect science with @entsocamerica.bsky.social! I have learned so much from this program that will inform how I build policy into my career. Thank you to everyone who helped make this opportunity possible!

Erin Cadwalader@erincadwalader.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Having a great time with the @entsocamerica.bsky.social Science Policy Fellows in DC this week! Interested in joining the Class of 2026? Applications for the next cohort are due June 1! Learn more: entsoc.org/advocacy/sci... #entvocate

ESA Science Policy Fellows are on Capitol Hill this week to advocate for entomology! Fellows participate in active training for two years and are core members of ESA's advocacy team. Applications for the next cohort are now open. Learn more: entsoc.org/advocacy/sci... #entvocate

Congratulations to my undergraduate co-author Ava on her graduation! It has been so rewarding to have the opportunity to mentor during my Ph.D. Look out for our paper soon! 🦋🎓

I love this study by my labmate @er1ngrady.bsky.social in Guralnick Lab at @floridamuseum.bsky.social. All types of citizen science contributions matter! 🔎🪲🦎🍄

Florida Museum of Natural History@floridamuseum.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Citizen science contributions from both casual observers and highly active users can be equally valuable and even complement each other, says a new study of iNaturalist data. Story: www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/high... Study: theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10....

The arogos skipper is an endangered butterfly that was once common throughout much of the U.S. but is now reduced to a few small populations. Researchers are studying a population in Florida to learn more about its life cycle and conservation needs. www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/chas...

I’m giving a seminar talk on my Ph.D. work for #UFSNRE tomorrow afternoon! Check it out: bit.ly/SNRE-Butterfly

This year at #EntSoc25, I was honored to win an award for a talk I gave on my birthday 🎂, along with three of my talented labmates at the McGuire Center! 🦋 🙌 Thanks to @entsocamerica.bsky.social & @floridamuseum.bsky.social for the support & recognition! 🙏

Florida Museum of Natural History@floridamuseum.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Congrats! 👏👏👏🦋 Four of our @ufl.edu students were recognized at the Entomological Society of America’s 2025 meeting. Proud of the hard work of Anastasia Baluk Garavaglia, Jahir Rayhan, Skyla Sheehy & Rachel Walsh! #EntSoc25 More: www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/the-... 📸: @swamplily.bsky.social

Excited to wrap up a successful conservation policy symposium at #EntSoc25! Takeaways: ✍️ Make public comments 📍 Get involved at state & local levels 🗣️ Practice sharing science with family & friends 🦋 Highlight wonder inspired by charismatic species 🤝 Focus on our common humanity Keep persisting!

Make sure to check out our science & conservation policy symposium at the upcoming ESA meeting! We've got a great lineup of speakers focusing on new methods for insect biodiversity monitoring & how entomologists can engage w/ policymaking. Join us! @entsocamerica.bsky.social bit.ly/SysEBPolicyS...

Thank you @oacevedocharry.bsky.social! Also great talk on using state-space models to estimate extinction risk from community science data, with promising results from a case study on the endangered Everglade snail kite. I recommend checking out their paper! doi-org.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/10.1111/1365...

Orlando Acevedo-Charry@oacevedocharry.bsky.social · 10mo ago

@swamplily.bsky.social terrific talk! Many butterflies at risk but not enlisted in the Endangered Species Act need more research! To help them: 1) maintain a pollinator friendly backyard 2) leave the leafs (they hibernate) 3) engage with conservation initiatives like @xercessociety.bsky.social

Excited to be presenting my work on ESA listing and research effort for U.S butterflies tomorrow at the UF SNRE Symposium, along with several other talented graduate students & faculty! snre.ifas.ufl.edu/news-and-eve...

Tune in TOMORROW for the "Insect Rally" to support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, w/ National Wildlife Federation Action Fund (@wildlifeaction.bsky.social), Xerces Society, and Entomological Society of America. ⬇️

Entomological Society of America@entsocamerica.bsky.social · 2y ago

Calling all entomology and biodiversity enthusiasts: Take action on behalf of declining insect and arthropod populations by supporting the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act! www.mobilize.us/nationalwild...

Check out this blog post by @floridamuseum.bsky.social about my summer fieldwork studying the Loammi skipper. Thanks to the FLMNH outreach team, everyone who helped me in the field and lab & to my funders! #FloridaMuseum #DisneyConserves #UFSNRE 🦋🌾

Protecting rare butterflies of Florida’s pine flats and prairies

The Loammi skipper (Atrytonopsis loammi) is a small, wedge-shaped butterfly with stubby antennas and bulbous black eyes in a fuzzy face. It once lived throughout a good deal of the Southeastern U.S. b...

floridamuseum.ufl.edu

Had so much fun pinning butterflies & moths with kids and playing with katydids at a recent @FloridaMuseum outreach event! #ScienceComm 🦋🐛

This is what hurricane prep looks like at the Butterfly Rainforest 🦋🌀@FloridaMuseum @swamphiker @UFEntNem @UFBiology

Happy #WomenInScienceDay! Had a great day w/ @JCDanielsLab doing science activities with young future scientists @FloridaMuseum!