Dr. Catherine Scott
@cataranea.bsky.social
Arachnologist, behavioural ecologist, natural historian, & spider advocate. I also knit, sew, & have strong opinions. Pronouns: she or they
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Please take some time to look through some of the discoveries photographed in 2025. It should interest some invertebrate enthusiasts. yes? yes?
bit.ly/nickybay2025
bit.ly/nickybay2025
Macro Highlights – The Best of 2025 - Macro Photography by Nicky Bay
After years of trudging through forests and peering into the hidden lives of tiny creatures, the number of lifers I get should rightfully decline but 2025 proved to be remarkably defiant. This year de...
bit.ly
December 31, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Please take some time to look through some of the discoveries photographed in 2025. It should interest some invertebrate enthusiasts. yes? yes?
bit.ly/nickybay2025
bit.ly/nickybay2025
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Help the SciArt Feed 🐡 reach 5,000 subscribers!
The intersection of art & science.
No generative AI, no NFTs; a curated Feed of great visual art by skilled people.
🧡 Please share, pin & like today:
The intersection of art & science.
No generative AI, no NFTs; a curated Feed of great visual art by skilled people.
🧡 Please share, pin & like today:
December 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Help the SciArt Feed 🐡 reach 5,000 subscribers!
The intersection of art & science.
No generative AI, no NFTs; a curated Feed of great visual art by skilled people.
🧡 Please share, pin & like today:
The intersection of art & science.
No generative AI, no NFTs; a curated Feed of great visual art by skilled people.
🧡 Please share, pin & like today:
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Day 26 of my 2025 Favorites: Parenthood be like–
When I first catch a glimpse of a giant Hogna wolf mom absolutely covered in babies, my brain refuses to process what I'm seeing, it's just bizarre. And then realization dawns and it's sweet. That's just the invertebrate experience. 🖤
#InverteFest
When I first catch a glimpse of a giant Hogna wolf mom absolutely covered in babies, my brain refuses to process what I'm seeing, it's just bizarre. And then realization dawns and it's sweet. That's just the invertebrate experience. 🖤
#InverteFest
December 27, 2025 at 5:35 AM
Day 26 of my 2025 Favorites: Parenthood be like–
When I first catch a glimpse of a giant Hogna wolf mom absolutely covered in babies, my brain refuses to process what I'm seeing, it's just bizarre. And then realization dawns and it's sweet. That's just the invertebrate experience. 🖤
#InverteFest
When I first catch a glimpse of a giant Hogna wolf mom absolutely covered in babies, my brain refuses to process what I'm seeing, it's just bizarre. And then realization dawns and it's sweet. That's just the invertebrate experience. 🖤
#InverteFest
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
tired: you should watch Die Hard because it's a Christmas movie
wired: you should watch Die Hard because it is a perfect action movie
wired: you should watch Die Hard because it is a perfect action movie
December 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
tired: you should watch Die Hard because it's a Christmas movie
wired: you should watch Die Hard because it is a perfect action movie
wired: you should watch Die Hard because it is a perfect action movie
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
A small (personal) example of this book’s intellectual dishonesty:
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
December 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
A small (personal) example of this book’s intellectual dishonesty:
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
My father-in-law is reading In Covid’s Wake, and excitedly told me he found a passage where I’m quoted. The quote in question is me saying the FBI worked to censor speech on social media.
Huh? When did I say that?!
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Pack your bags, charge your batteries, #InverteFest begins at midnight your time.
If you're going out to spot critters, join our community science project here: www.inaturalist.org/projects/inv...
If you're going out to spot critters, join our community science project here: www.inaturalist.org/projects/inv...
December 24, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Pack your bags, charge your batteries, #InverteFest begins at midnight your time.
If you're going out to spot critters, join our community science project here: www.inaturalist.org/projects/inv...
If you're going out to spot critters, join our community science project here: www.inaturalist.org/projects/inv...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Instead of spending big money to recruit a few dozen academics from outside of Canada, I wish the Liberals invested in the outstanding talent coming out of our PhD programs. Postdocs could be extended (#, duration) for large numbers for the same price. It is top-down, headline seeking politics.
December 23, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Instead of spending big money to recruit a few dozen academics from outside of Canada, I wish the Liberals invested in the outstanding talent coming out of our PhD programs. Postdocs could be extended (#, duration) for large numbers for the same price. It is top-down, headline seeking politics.
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Especially for "uncharismatic" species, remote locations, and historic observations.
I think people *vastly* overestimate how much information is digitized, and how there's strong biases in what *is* digitized. And the lie LLM sells is it can fill in the gaps with "logic".
I think people *vastly* overestimate how much information is digitized, and how there's strong biases in what *is* digitized. And the lie LLM sells is it can fill in the gaps with "logic".
December 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Especially for "uncharismatic" species, remote locations, and historic observations.
I think people *vastly* overestimate how much information is digitized, and how there's strong biases in what *is* digitized. And the lie LLM sells is it can fill in the gaps with "logic".
I think people *vastly* overestimate how much information is digitized, and how there's strong biases in what *is* digitized. And the lie LLM sells is it can fill in the gaps with "logic".
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
THIS SO MUCH THIS
If you want to know "has this specific species been observed on this small island in Alaska", odds are the answer is not online, but in some typewritten USFWS or USFS report in the library
Even with wonderful resources like iNat and eBird, huge gaps remain!
If you want to know "has this specific species been observed on this small island in Alaska", odds are the answer is not online, but in some typewritten USFWS or USFS report in the library
Even with wonderful resources like iNat and eBird, huge gaps remain!
Wait until you hear that LLMs can only train on digitized/datafied info.
Most of the FACTS scholars use are in archives/libraries.
Less than 1% of archival colletions worldwide have been digitized.
Also: lots of facts are not even in archives, but in the attics.
Most of the FACTS scholars use are in archives/libraries.
Less than 1% of archival colletions worldwide have been digitized.
Also: lots of facts are not even in archives, but in the attics.
suspect a big reason why many academics and others who work in areas where getting facts RIGHT is key are disinterested in using LLMs for research:
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
they’ve tried it, they keep noticing major errors in output, and they conclude that having to verify all that doesn’t actually save them time.
December 22, 2025 at 4:57 PM
THIS SO MUCH THIS
If you want to know "has this specific species been observed on this small island in Alaska", odds are the answer is not online, but in some typewritten USFWS or USFS report in the library
Even with wonderful resources like iNat and eBird, huge gaps remain!
If you want to know "has this specific species been observed on this small island in Alaska", odds are the answer is not online, but in some typewritten USFWS or USFS report in the library
Even with wonderful resources like iNat and eBird, huge gaps remain!
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
More than half of researchers now use AI for peer review — often against guidance
A survey of 1,600 academics found that more than 50% have used artificial-intelligence tools while peer reviewing manuscripts.
www.nature.com
December 16, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Just decline the peer review invitation.
What are you people even doing?
What are you people even doing?
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Mite harvesters (Cyphophthalmi) are super interesting from a biogeography perspective - the six families have distributions which reflect plate tectonics of ancient landmasses.
The family here in New Zealand can be traced to Gondwana breaking from Laurasia some 200ish MYA!
#TheWorldBeneatOurFeet 🧪
The family here in New Zealand can be traced to Gondwana breaking from Laurasia some 200ish MYA!
#TheWorldBeneatOurFeet 🧪
December 13, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Mite harvesters (Cyphophthalmi) are super interesting from a biogeography perspective - the six families have distributions which reflect plate tectonics of ancient landmasses.
The family here in New Zealand can be traced to Gondwana breaking from Laurasia some 200ish MYA!
#TheWorldBeneatOurFeet 🧪
The family here in New Zealand can be traced to Gondwana breaking from Laurasia some 200ish MYA!
#TheWorldBeneatOurFeet 🧪
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Want to get paid to live in a Maine (Acadia National Park) and do #scicomm? (podcasting, writing, social media; residence proviced) schoodicinstitute.org/about-us/emp...
Employment Opportunities | Schoodic Institute
schoodicinstitute.org
December 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Want to get paid to live in a Maine (Acadia National Park) and do #scicomm? (podcasting, writing, social media; residence proviced) schoodicinstitute.org/about-us/emp...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Day 11 #artAdventCalendar The loggerhead shrike, endemic to North America, is also known as the butcherbird for its carnivorous tendencies and habit of ostentatiously displaying stored prey dramatically impaled on convenient spikes like tree thorns or barbed wire. 🧪🐡🪶 Its usual prey are insects, 🧵
December 11, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Day 11 #artAdventCalendar The loggerhead shrike, endemic to North America, is also known as the butcherbird for its carnivorous tendencies and habit of ostentatiously displaying stored prey dramatically impaled on convenient spikes like tree thorns or barbed wire. 🧪🐡🪶 Its usual prey are insects, 🧵
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
10 springtails leaping,
9 dance flies dancing,
8 ants a-milking,
7 wasps a-swimming,
6 flies a-laying,
5 gold beetles!
4 buzzing bees,
3 French worms,
2 turtle bugs,
And a painting of a small flea.
🦗🩰 🐡 #invertebrate #advent #ArtAdventCalendar
10 springtails leaping,
9 dance flies dancing,
8 ants a-milking,
7 wasps a-swimming,
6 flies a-laying,
5 gold beetles!
4 buzzing bees,
3 French worms,
2 turtle bugs,
And a painting of a small flea.
🦗🩰 🐡 #invertebrate #advent #ArtAdventCalendar
December 10, 2024 at 10:01 AM
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:
10 springtails leaping,
9 dance flies dancing,
8 ants a-milking,
7 wasps a-swimming,
6 flies a-laying,
5 gold beetles!
4 buzzing bees,
3 French worms,
2 turtle bugs,
And a painting of a small flea.
🦗🩰 🐡 #invertebrate #advent #ArtAdventCalendar
10 springtails leaping,
9 dance flies dancing,
8 ants a-milking,
7 wasps a-swimming,
6 flies a-laying,
5 gold beetles!
4 buzzing bees,
3 French worms,
2 turtle bugs,
And a painting of a small flea.
🦗🩰 🐡 #invertebrate #advent #ArtAdventCalendar
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
We're excited to announce the finalists of the #RSPPhotoComp 2025! 🎉 Starting with #microimaging and overall winner, 'Mesmerizing spider threads' by Dr Martin Ramirez, capturing two exceptional silk threads of the Australian net-caster spider (sample obtained by Dr Jonas Wolff @evoimec.bsky.social).
December 4, 2025 at 10:57 AM
We're excited to announce the finalists of the #RSPPhotoComp 2025! 🎉 Starting with #microimaging and overall winner, 'Mesmerizing spider threads' by Dr Martin Ramirez, capturing two exceptional silk threads of the Australian net-caster spider (sample obtained by Dr Jonas Wolff @evoimec.bsky.social).
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Give the gift of hundreds of bugs this year with the OWLFLY HOLIDAY SALE! All orders above $40 USD are eligible for free shipping anywhere in the world (within our normal shipping range) with the coupon code BUGBOOK2025, now through December 31st. Restrictions apply.
www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
November 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Give the gift of hundreds of bugs this year with the OWLFLY HOLIDAY SALE! All orders above $40 USD are eligible for free shipping anywhere in the world (within our normal shipping range) with the coupon code BUGBOOK2025, now through December 31st. Restrictions apply.
www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
www.owlflyllc.com/publishing
And/or borrow them from your local library! 📚📖
The Internet is becoming increasingly unreliable. Buy books and read them.
December 6, 2025 at 11:36 AM
And/or borrow them from your local library! 📚📖
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Buy one of these rad fundraiser t-shirts to support PATHAs legal costs in their resistance against the inhumane ban on puberty blockers for trans kids. You too can be a woke ideological feral!
cradlednz.digitees.co.nz/shop/categor...
cradlednz.digitees.co.nz/shop/categor...
December 6, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Buy one of these rad fundraiser t-shirts to support PATHAs legal costs in their resistance against the inhumane ban on puberty blockers for trans kids. You too can be a woke ideological feral!
cradlednz.digitees.co.nz/shop/categor...
cradlednz.digitees.co.nz/shop/categor...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Forget Snakes on a Plane; how about Ticks on an Eel? cc @greenleejw.bsky.social entomologytoday.org/2025/12/03/t...
Ticks on an Eel: Museum Specimen is a First of its Kind
Two ticks found on an 1873 electric eel specimen mark the first recorded case of ticks parasitizing a fish—but only documented just this year.
entomologytoday.org
December 3, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Forget Snakes on a Plane; how about Ticks on an Eel? cc @greenleejw.bsky.social entomologytoday.org/2025/12/03/t...
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
So. . .will Canadian universities change their reliance on MS Teams?
Microsoft admits it can—and will—hand over Canadian citizens’ data, as well as sensitive government and defence information stored on its servers, to the US government upon request. Even worse? They aren’t required to notify anyone when it happens. 👀
#cdnpoli #DataSovereignty #PrivacyMatters
#cdnpoli #DataSovereignty #PrivacyMatters
Microsoft says U.S. law takes precedence over Canadian data sovereignty
Microsoft representative says US CLOUD Act comes before other country's sovereignty.
www.digitaljournal.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:36 PM
So. . .will Canadian universities change their reliance on MS Teams?
Reposted by Dr. Catherine Scott
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.