Erica Fischer
@bugmuseum.bsky.social
history PhD + lepidopterist doing weird bio/history stats with digitized biodiversity collections | formerly of KCL History, MSU Entomology, GVSU Biology | they/them
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Reposted by Erica Fischer
![Comic. [Building with large sign in front of it[ SIGN: Welcome to the *Biology Department* It has been [changeable sign: 3] days since we discovered something existentially horrifying about bugs that makes you question your whole reality](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreigvmzverlrjgqp4mazbkhm43fpvv2hdbkd2t2646dhihozrwdcy24@jpeg)
September 11, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Another mass shooting at a school.
At this point, following decades of failures to achieve real gun regulation even with popular support, it's obvious the root cause is the corrupt and sociopathic American ruling class, which plays gun games in a culture war to give themselves ever more power.
At this point, following decades of failures to achieve real gun regulation even with popular support, it's obvious the root cause is the corrupt and sociopathic American ruling class, which plays gun games in a culture war to give themselves ever more power.
August 27, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Another mass shooting at a school.
At this point, following decades of failures to achieve real gun regulation even with popular support, it's obvious the root cause is the corrupt and sociopathic American ruling class, which plays gun games in a culture war to give themselves ever more power.
At this point, following decades of failures to achieve real gun regulation even with popular support, it's obvious the root cause is the corrupt and sociopathic American ruling class, which plays gun games in a culture war to give themselves ever more power.
Reposted by Erica Fischer
NONE in Life science?! NONE?!
The 500 additional GRFPs NSF awarded were not very evenly distributed across fields, it seems.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
June 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
NONE in Life science?! NONE?!
Reposted by Erica Fischer
“THE VIVARIUM; OR, INSECT-HOME.
FOR OBSERVING THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS, AND OTHER INSECTS.”
Plate I in _The butterfly vivarium; or, Insect home_ by Henry Noel Humphreys (London, 1858)
via BHL:
www.flickr.com/photos/biodi...
FOR OBSERVING THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS, AND OTHER INSECTS.”
Plate I in _The butterfly vivarium; or, Insect home_ by Henry Noel Humphreys (London, 1858)
via BHL:
www.flickr.com/photos/biodi...
June 10, 2025 at 1:11 AM
“THE VIVARIUM; OR, INSECT-HOME.
FOR OBSERVING THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS, AND OTHER INSECTS.”
Plate I in _The butterfly vivarium; or, Insect home_ by Henry Noel Humphreys (London, 1858)
via BHL:
www.flickr.com/photos/biodi...
FOR OBSERVING THE TRANSFORMATIONS OF BUTTERFLIES, MOTHS, AND OTHER INSECTS.”
Plate I in _The butterfly vivarium; or, Insect home_ by Henry Noel Humphreys (London, 1858)
via BHL:
www.flickr.com/photos/biodi...
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Oh look! Me and @nhcooper123.bsky.social have done a podcast!
For each episode we scour the @nhm-london.bsky.social's collections for weird and fun specimens that fit the theme, and then ramble to each other about them.
So if that's your bag, give it a listen! 🎉
For each episode we scour the @nhm-london.bsky.social's collections for weird and fun specimens that fit the theme, and then ramble to each other about them.
So if that's your bag, give it a listen! 🎉
Our first episode is PERFECT. m.youtube.com/playlist?lis... Do you like our choices? What would you have chosen? 🦋🪲🐢🐙🦈🐆🦜
The 'Perfect' Specimen - YouTube
Does the perfect museum specimen exist? What’s the squishiest? The most exuberant? Or even the most noxious? We’re taking a look through 80 million specimens...
m.youtube.com
May 29, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Oh look! Me and @nhcooper123.bsky.social have done a podcast!
For each episode we scour the @nhm-london.bsky.social's collections for weird and fun specimens that fit the theme, and then ramble to each other about them.
So if that's your bag, give it a listen! 🎉
For each episode we scour the @nhm-london.bsky.social's collections for weird and fun specimens that fit the theme, and then ramble to each other about them.
So if that's your bag, give it a listen! 🎉
Reposted by Erica Fischer
The legendary USGS Bee Lab is being shut down. The 2026 budget proposal defunds the Ecosystem Mission Area, which supported the lab. If their science helped your work, there’s still time to make your voice heard. Read below. (1/4)
🧪 #pollinators #Pollinators #USGS #Entomology #Hymenoptera 🪲🪳
🧪 #pollinators #Pollinators #USGS #Entomology #Hymenoptera 🪲🪳
USGS Bee Lab at the Eastern Ecological Science Center
The USGS Bee Lab supports research on native bees. As part of that program we and our co-located USFWS partners develop identification tools and keys for native bee species, take public access hi reso...
www.usgs.gov
May 8, 2025 at 6:20 PM
The legendary USGS Bee Lab is being shut down. The 2026 budget proposal defunds the Ecosystem Mission Area, which supported the lab. If their science helped your work, there’s still time to make your voice heard. Read below. (1/4)
🧪 #pollinators #Pollinators #USGS #Entomology #Hymenoptera 🪲🪳
🧪 #pollinators #Pollinators #USGS #Entomology #Hymenoptera 🪲🪳
Reposted by Erica Fischer
A quick and typed-on-my-phone-riddled-with-typos thread about why I think people need to support NPR/PBS, even though they did post that one interview you didn't like:
May 6, 2025 at 12:46 PM
A quick and typed-on-my-phone-riddled-with-typos thread about why I think people need to support NPR/PBS, even though they did post that one interview you didn't like:
Reposted by Erica Fischer
When lepidopterist Michael Braby spotted something odd on a rare butterfly specimen, an old case was re-opened: a heist involving Scotland Yard & a forgery that created a flutter throughout the taxonomic world.
cosmosmagazine.com/nature/butterfly-heist-70-years-ago-is-still-causing-flutter/
cosmosmagazine.com/nature/butterfly-heist-70-years-ago-is-still-causing-flutter/
Butterfly heist 70 years ago is still causing flutter
Braby has spent thirty-odd years researching butterflies and moths, so when alarm bells start ringing follows up
cosmosmagazine.com
April 25, 2025 at 2:56 AM
When lepidopterist Michael Braby spotted something odd on a rare butterfly specimen, an old case was re-opened: a heist involving Scotland Yard & a forgery that created a flutter throughout the taxonomic world.
cosmosmagazine.com/nature/butterfly-heist-70-years-ago-is-still-causing-flutter/
cosmosmagazine.com/nature/butterfly-heist-70-years-ago-is-still-causing-flutter/
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Just a reminder:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lacks formal education or professional credentials in critical scientific fields such as biology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, immunology, virology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology, or medicine.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lacks formal education or professional credentials in critical scientific fields such as biology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, immunology, virology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology, or medicine.
April 17, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Just a reminder:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lacks formal education or professional credentials in critical scientific fields such as biology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, immunology, virology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology, or medicine.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lacks formal education or professional credentials in critical scientific fields such as biology, neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, immunology, virology, epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology, or medicine.
Reposted by Erica Fischer
We are risking plunging the United States into a dark age of entomology next week. USDA programs are facing massive lay-offs next week and the public should be aware of the impact. If you care about food systems, forests, invasive species, this thread is for you. Read Below: 🧪 #entomology #science
April 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
We are risking plunging the United States into a dark age of entomology next week. USDA programs are facing massive lay-offs next week and the public should be aware of the impact. If you care about food systems, forests, invasive species, this thread is for you. Read Below: 🧪 #entomology #science
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Among the thousands of groups affected by the sudden cessation of funds are state arts councils, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, educators and media outlets in all 50 states.
Cultural groups across U.S. told that federal humanities grants are terminated
Among the thousands of groups affected by the sudden cessation of funds are state arts councils, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, educators and media outlets in all 50 states.
www.npr.org
April 3, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Among the thousands of groups affected by the sudden cessation of funds are state arts councils, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, educators and media outlets in all 50 states.
Reposted by Erica Fischer
RIP, Institute of Museum and Library Services. My latest for artnet. news.artnet.com/art-world/do...
DOGE Has Decimated the Institute of Museum and Library Services
DOGE has eliminated the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), placing all its employees on administrative leave.
news.artnet.com
March 31, 2025 at 8:07 PM
RIP, Institute of Museum and Library Services. My latest for artnet. news.artnet.com/art-world/do...
the PhD has officially arrived in the post, so this was very well timed on my part!
Stay tuned for the papers that come out of my thesis :)
Stay tuned for the papers that come out of my thesis :)
You've heard of #knityourphd but what about #quiltyourphd (I can't knit)? :)
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
March 14, 2025 at 5:07 PM
the PhD has officially arrived in the post, so this was very well timed on my part!
Stay tuned for the papers that come out of my thesis :)
Stay tuned for the papers that come out of my thesis :)
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Here is the list of institutions:
March 14, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Here is the list of institutions:
You've heard of #knityourphd but what about #quiltyourphd (I can't knit)? :)
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
March 13, 2025 at 3:51 PM
You've heard of #knityourphd but what about #quiltyourphd (I can't knit)? :)
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
Is this a bit of a stretch re: PhD and quilting? Sure! But I’m ignoring the stretch. 😊
Shout out to my students who didn't believe me when I said sometimes exams have to be rescheduled on Saturdays because of weather - I hope you all believe me now :)
December 12, 2024 at 4:20 PM
Shout out to my students who didn't believe me when I said sometimes exams have to be rescheduled on Saturdays because of weather - I hope you all believe me now :)
Reposted by Erica Fischer
Hundreds of volunteers have been counting butterflies weekly across Ohio since 1996, documenting a 2% per year decline in overall abundance journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Butterfly abundance declines over 20 years of systematic monitoring in Ohio, USA
Severe insect declines make headlines, but they are rarely based on systematic monitoring outside of Europe. We estimate the rate of change in total butterfly abundance and the population trends for 8...
journals.plos.org
December 4, 2024 at 9:54 PM
Hundreds of volunteers have been counting butterflies weekly across Ohio since 1996, documenting a 2% per year decline in overall abundance journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...
Reposted by Erica Fischer
AI illustration should have no place in Science journals - did no-one notice the bumblebee has one wing and one antenna? Or perhaps nobody cared.
🌎The Plant Ecology of Nature-Based Solutions
A Special Feature providing:
🔸focused analysis of the #plant #ecology of NbS
🔸key insights, challenges & opportunities for future research
#COP29 #COP16Biodiversity 🧵1/13 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13652745...
A Special Feature providing:
🔸focused analysis of the #plant #ecology of NbS
🔸key insights, challenges & opportunities for future research
#COP29 #COP16Biodiversity 🧵1/13 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/13652745...
SPECIAL FEATURE: THE PLANT ECOLOGY OF NATURE‐BASED SOLUTIONS: Journal of Ecology: Vol 112, No 11
<em>Journal of Ecology</em> publishes original research on all aspects of the plant ecology (including algae), in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 1, 2024 at 4:10 PM
AI illustration should have no place in Science journals - did no-one notice the bumblebee has one wing and one antenna? Or perhaps nobody cared.
Reposted by Erica Fischer
I LOVE THESE. Let me add this adorable orange tip that was digitized during the iCollections project. Here they are! And here's "A History of Shropshire" which features a snippet about this exact specimen. Famous!
November 25, 2024 at 9:11 PM
I LOVE THESE. Let me add this adorable orange tip that was digitized during the iCollections project. Here they are! And here's "A History of Shropshire" which features a snippet about this exact specimen. Famous!
Reposted by Erica Fischer
These butterflies are bilateral gynandromorphs. Each of them is exactly half male and half female!
November 23, 2024 at 2:14 AM
These butterflies are bilateral gynandromorphs. Each of them is exactly half male and half female!