#invertebrates — Public Fediverse posts

Cressida cressida, the clearwing swallowtail or 'big greasy' butterfly. Large and conspicuously coloured - it is toxic to potential predators. Toxins are absorbed from the food that it eats as a caterpillar. Seen in Cape York. FNQ.

#nature #photography #australia #wildlife #insects #butterflies #invertebrates

Cressida cressida, the clearwing swallowtail or 'big greasy' butterfly. Large and conspicuously coloured - it is toxic to potential predators. Toxins are absorbed from the food that it eats as a caterpillar. Seen in Cape York. FNQ.

#nature #photography #australia #wildlife #insects #butterflies #invertebrates

Cressida cressida, the clearwing swallowtail or 'big greasy' butterfly. Large and conspicuously coloured - it is toxic to potential predators. Toxins are absorbed from the food that it eats as a caterpillar. Seen in Cape York. FNQ.

#nature #photography #australia #wildlife #insects #butterflies #invertebrates

Cressida cressida, the clearwing swallowtail or 'big greasy' butterfly. Large and conspicuously coloured - it is toxic to potential predators. Toxins are absorbed from the food that it eats as a caterpillar. Seen in Cape York. FNQ.

#nature #photography #australia #wildlife #insects #butterflies #invertebrates

Cressida cressida, the clearwing swallowtail or 'big greasy' butterfly. Large and conspicuously coloured - it is toxic to potential predators. Toxins are absorbed from the food that it eats as a caterpillar. Seen in Cape York. FNQ.

#nature #photography #australia #wildlife #insects #butterflies #invertebrates

Here are some hymenopterans 🐝🌿

#bugsky #invertebrates

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:66x6tziyavg3nmt3x46xu2bw/post/3mv6r4n6npk2s

Checked on my free range menagerie. Here are some lepidopterans 🦋🌿

#bugsky #invertebrates

Pallid-winged grasshopper, on the stones at Oyster Bay. New blog post: https://wanderinweeta.blogspot.com/2026/08/beach-hoppers.html #VancouverIsland #Grasshoppers #Insects #Invertebrates #NaturePhotography

#Honeybees and #shrimp are now getting vaccinated
#Vaccines that target #invertebrates’ innate #immunesystems could be a major boon for agriculture
It has become increasingly clear that #innateimmunesystem has own way of creating immune memory. Scientists think this memory is achieved through #epigenetic changes, modifications to #DNA that don’t alter genetic sequence, and that these epigenetic changes can be passed from one generation to the next.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/honeybees-and-shrimp-getting-vaccinated
https://archive.ph/guvRa

Busy Beavers - The Turbidity Signature Of Ecosystem Engineers At Work
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https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.70661 <-- shared paper
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H/T @alan Puttock
“Beavers are the quintessential ecosystem engineers. In slow-flowing streams, they create complex wetlands with ponds by building dams and canals that can positively impact biodiversity, hydrology and water quality. These activities can interchangeably capture or release sediment along the watercourse. To date this has not been quantified at the resolution of rainfall events or beaver activity. This study used 15-min frequency, sustained monitoring upstream and downstream of a newly establishing beaver wetland to measure episodic changes in water turbidity at an event resolution. Monitoring showed no significant differences between upstream and downstream turbidity over 160 days when the first pair of beavers, known not to be building dams or canals, were resident. Shortly after introduction of another beaver pair, however, dam building, burrows and canal excavations were quickly observed, resulting in the creation of a complex beaver wetland between 2021 and 2024. Monitoring over 375 days during this period showed significant differences. Downstream turbidity was significantly higher overall than upstream: 13.1 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) compared to 4.2 NTU. Stochastic spikes in downstream turbidity during the study period not recorded upstream were associated with dam building and burrowing. Overall, there was no significant difference in turbidity loads, which was at least partially explained by a reduction in discharge downstream, particularly in higher flows, during the dam building period. This demonstrates a complex system with the trapping of influent sediment, the storing of water and the periodic release of beaver wetland sediment leading to net balance in loads. These results help provide context for other studies which have used temporally discrete sampling campaigns rather than continuous high-frequency monitoring. They provide a unique insight into the downstream impacts of a rapidly developing beaver wetland over its first three and a half years in a landscape that hasn't had beavers for over 400 years…"
#hydromorphic #water #hydrology #dam #beaverdam #waterquality #biodiversity #ecology #benefits #NatureBasedSolutions #Wetlands #Ecology #Biodiversity #EnvironmentalScience #Wildlife #Ecosystem #bioviversity #conservation #restoration #landscaperecovery #floodmanagement #FloodMitigation #flooding #energy #floodrisk #sustainability #wetlands #hydrography #dams #impoundment #deadwood #waterresources #landscapeengineer #benefits #vegetation #ecology #ecosystem #riversystemsstabilisation #naturalwaterregulation #resilience #valleysreborn #fisheries #invertebrates #extremeweather #floodflows #sediment #baseflow #drought #landmanagement #naturalsystems #landuse #monitoring #spatialanalysis #spatiotemporal

Eager Beavers - Rodents Engineer Czech Wetland Project After Years Of Human Delay [ecosystem engineers]
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/11/beavers-save-czech-taxpayers-by-flooding-ex-army-training-site <-- shared technical media article
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver-engineered_dam_in_the_Czech_Republic <-- shared wiki technical page
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https://phys.org/news/2025-02-fine-beavers-czech-treasury-million.html <-- shared technical article
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https://youtu.be/GSTw8qmBP4Y?si=XK2Iy2pAltW91flj <-- shared video (Czech)
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H/T @ScienceGirl
"We don't expect any conflict with the beaver in the next 10 years," ~ Bohumil Fiser from the Czech Nature Conservation Agency
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“For seven years, planners struggled to complete a $1.2 million wetland restoration project in the Brdy region of the Czech Republic. The goal was to build a dam that would improve water management and bring back valuable wetland habitat, but the project remained trapped in a maze of permits and approvals.
Then a family of eight Eurasian beavers did what engineers had planned… without permits, machinery, or a budget.
The beavers built a network of dams in almost the exact area chosen for the proposed project, naturally restoring the wetland system officials had spent years trying to create. After seeing the results, authorities decided there was little point continuing with the original human-built dam.
Although some reports suggested the beavers completed the work overnight, experts say their construction likely took several weeks. The reason it seemed sudden is that the animals quietly worked away until their finished dams became impossible to miss.
Beavers are known as “ecosystem engineers” because their behaviour can reshape entire environments. By cutting trees and blocking streams, they create ponds and wetlands that support countless species, including fish, amphibians, insects, birds, and mammals.
Their wetlands also act as natural water reservoirs, helping during droughts, reducing flood risks, filtering water, storing carbon, and keeping landscapes wetter during wildfires…
Once heavily hunted across Europe, beaver populations have been recovering thanks to conservation efforts, proving that sometimes nature can solve problems humans spend years trying to fix…"
#water #hydrology #KlabavaRiver #Czech #BrdyRegion #protected #CzechRepublic #armytraining #military #beaver #Eurasianbeavers #dam #beaverdam #waterquality #restoration #biodiversity #crayfish #wetland #ecology #benefits #Beavers #NatureBasedSolutions #Wetlands #Ecology #Biodiversity #Agroforestry #EnvironmentalScience #Conservation #Wildlife #Ecosystem #bioviversity #conservation #restoration #landscaperecovery #EcosystemEngineers #nature #floodmanagement #FloodMitigation #flood #flooding #energy #floodrisk #sustainability #wetlands #hydrography #dams #impoundment #deadwood #waterresources #landscapeengineer #agriculture #benefits #vegetation #ecology #ecosystem #riversystemsstabilisation #naturalwaterregulation #resilience #drought #wildfire #valleysreborn #slowdetermination #fisheries #invertebrates #extremeweather #floodflows #sediment #baseflow #drought #landmanagement #naturalsystems #landuse #ecosystemengineers #watermanagement

Happy belated International Asexuality Day!

One of the highlights of my day was when William Harland, a talented ecology undergrad here at #LincolnUniversityNZ, stopped by my office to show me his photos of temnocephalid flatworms. These distinctive squat tentacled flatworms live in colonies on NZ's freshwater crayfish, koura, and eat scraps left over when the koura feed. They apparently cause no bother to the koura.

William found these at Poolburn Reservoir in central Otago.

Amazing!

The photo is CC-BY William Harland: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/341041723
Here are more photos of these crazy flatworms on #iNaturalistNZ: https://inaturalist.nz/observations?verifiable=true&taxon_id=868829&place_id=6803&preferred_place_id=6803

#invertebrates #flatworms #NaturalHistory #NZ #Freshwater #crayfish #crustaceans #nature #crayfish

Insect enthusiasts helping researchers keep an eye on bug populations

Queensland insect enthusiasts are using their cameras to help researchers study bug populations, as part of a national…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Environment #Australia #Brisbane #bughunt #bugs #buttterflies #CitizenScience #inaturalist #Insects #InvasiveSpeciesCouncil #invertebrates #Museum #photographs #Qld #Queensland #Research #Science
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/396723/

Apex predators in prehistoric Colombian oceans would have snacked on killer whales today https://phys.org/news/2025-01-apex-predators-prehistoric-colombian-oceans.html paper: https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/202/1/zlad092/7275647

"The Paja ecosystem thrived with #plesiosaurs, #ichthyosaurs, and abundant #invertebrates, giving rise to one of history's most intricate marine food webs... The discovery of giant marine reptile apex predators occupying a seventh trophic level underscores the Paja ecosystem's unmatched diversity and complexity"

Green-eyed Hook-tailed Dragonfly, Onychogomphus forcipatus Canon 5D3 Sigma 70-300 Art Macro f/5.6 1/320 iso: 160 Revnice, Czech Republic 6/30/2024 #Odonata #Onychogomphus #Gomphidae #Dragonflies #pincers #hooktails #snaketails #insects, #invertebrates #macro

How giant earthworms have transformed the Isle of Rum’s landscape https://theconversation.com/how-giant-earthworms-have-transformed-the-isle-of-rums-landscape-231638

"Renowned for a thriving and intricately studied population of around 900 #RedDeer, the #IsleOfRum, part of #Scotland’s Inner #Hebrides, is often considered an outdoor laboratory for scientific research. But the #earthworms on Rum are equally remarkable. These #invertebrates act as #EcosystemEngineers, actively shaping the landscape, often after humans have left their mark on this remote island."

Caddisfly, Hydropsyche siltalai Canon 400D EF 100 .8 f/ 2.8 1/160 iso: 800 Radotin, Czech Republic 5.26/2010 #Caddisfly #Trichoptera $netSpinner #insects #invertebrates #FrogFood #macro #Wetlands

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Odonata #emeralds #spreadwings #Insects #invertebrates #wetlands

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Odonata #emeralds #spreadwings #Insects #invertebrates #wetlands

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Odonata #emeralds #spreadwings #Insects #invertebrates #wetlands

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Odonata #emeralds #spreadwings #Insects #invertebrates #wetlands

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Spreadwings #Emeralds #Odonata #Insects #invertebrates #macro #Wetlands #ponds

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Spreadwings #Emeralds #Odonata #Insects #invertebrates #macro #Wetlands #ponds

Willow Emerald, Chalcolestes viridis Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/5.6 1/40 iso: 100 Prague, Czech Republic 9/8/2008 #Damselflies #Spreadwings #Emeralds #Odonata #Insects #invertebrates #macro #Wetlands #ponds

Long-horned caddisfly, Mystacides azureus Canon 7D EFS 60 2.8 f/2.8 1/200 iso: 250 Srbsko, Czech Republic May 22, 2023 #Caddisfly #Trichoptera #casemaker #insects #invertebrates #Wetlands

Water Availability Creates Global Thresholds In Multidimensional Soil Biodiversity And Functions
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https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-023-02071-3 <-- shared paper
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#GIS #spatial #water #mapping #water #hydrology #biogeography #phylogeography #geography #global #environmental #biodiversity #productivity #agricultural #agriculture #farming #plant #microbe #soilscience #soilhealth #soil #soilfertility #soilconservation #soilmanagement #ecosystems #EnvironmentalThresholds #survey #fieldsurvey #climate #vegetation #watermanagement #waterconservation #rainfall #precipitation #EV #evaporation #evapotranspiration #biogeochemical #geochemical #bacteria #fungi #protists #invertebrates #model #modeling #soilcarbonsequestration #wateravailability #sustainable

Call a keeper, not pest control as thousands of bees relocated from Gold Coast street Put down the insect spray and call a beekeeper. That's what more Australians should do when they find a wayward swarm in their neighbourhood, according to Gold Coast beekeeper Catarina Pereira. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-11-05/call-a-beekeeper-as-swarm-relocated-from-gold-coast-street/12851166 #Invertebrates-InsectsandArachnids #SustainableandAlternativeFarming #Pests-Horticulture #AnimalScience

This is what it's like to walk into a building filled with a billion cockroaches It sounds like the stuff of nightmares: a giant, dark, steamy hangar filled with a billion cockroaches feeding off food scraps. But these roaches are not just household pests, they could be the key to more sustainable farming and reducing landfill. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-19/inside-a-chinese-cockroach-farm/12672476 #Invertebrates-InsectsandArachnids #SustainableandAlternativeFarming #Agribusiness