Michael Palmer
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cosmopterix.bsky.social
Michael Palmer
@cosmopterix.bsky.social
300 followers 280 following 380 posts
Retired botanist but doing #entomology on a wildfire impacted landscape in Oregon.
INaturalist Ambassador.
INaturalist handle @cosmopterix
Posts Replies Media Videos
cosmopterix.bsky.social
I love these cute tiny lacebugs (Acalypta) associated with ruderal mosses. about 1.7mm. Blue River, Oregon #bugsky #hemiptera
November 11, 2025 at 5:27 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
These guys show up whenever dead animals are around. These. ones from an unfortunate window-killed sparrow that I buried 10 cm deep in a makeshift belowground trap. Catops perhaps? #coleoptera #bugsky
November 11, 2025 at 5:13 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
I won't be attending the Entomological Society Meeting in Portland, but I might drive up for a day to bring bugs to several people (if the cost of driving is < postage). If any of you can use insects in EtOH from Oregon, and which I might have (see www.inaturalist.org/projects/mck...) let me know!
McKenzie Valley Bug Lab
McKenzie Valley Bug Lab organisms. Please contact me to join the lab&#39;s Discord Server! Let me know whether you would like to visit, collect, stay, or search for particular taxa.
www.inaturalist.org
October 29, 2025 at 5:25 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Blackflies are more colorful than the vernacular name implies. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #diptera #insects
Common Blackflies (Genus Simulium)
Common Blackflies from Lane County, OR, USA on October 28, 2025 at 05:04 PM by Mike Palmer. visiting parsley flwoers. 8776
www.inaturalist.org
October 29, 2025 at 5:17 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
torymids excel in structural colors. #wasps #bugsky
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Subfamily Toryminae
Toryminae from Lane County, OR, USA on October 19, 2025 at 04:40 PM by Mike Palmer. Caught in red wine trap near intermittent stream. 8759
www.inaturalist.org
October 20, 2025 at 5:27 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
The annual home invasion begins!
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands
Multicolor lady beetles congregate in corner
October 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
#fermentation
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut
October 19, 2025 at 1:37 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
A picture of some dirt. Litter Critter Getters, does anyone have any experience with flotation extraction of soil arthropods that doesn’t use centrifuges or chemicals harsher than epsom salts and soap? I am interested in expanding my limited repertoire of techniques.
October 15, 2025 at 8:11 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
For those interested in #fermentation, I found this interesting free book: www.google.co.th/books/editio...
History of Worcestershire Sauce (1837-2012)
www.google.co.th
October 15, 2025 at 3:24 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
#fermentation
We had to harvest a lot of underripe grapes due to a bear in the neighborhood.
We made as much verjuice as we can handle already, and are steam juicing the remainder. Any suggestions for what to do with it? Can it make decent vinegar?
October 13, 2025 at 1:52 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
It is flat, and red, and lives under bark. What can it possibly be?
Oh, it is a flat red bark beetle.
#inaturalist #bugsky #coleoptera
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Flat bark beetles (Family Cucujidae)
Flat bark beetles from Lane County, OR, USA on October 11, 2025 at 02:08 PM by Mike Palmer. gleaned from side of house. 8734
www.inaturalist.org
October 12, 2025 at 4:31 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Happy Staphylinid Sunday!
#inaturalist #bugsky #coleoptera
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Rove Beetles (Family Staphylinidae)
Rove Beetles from Lane County, OR, USA on October 11, 2025 at 04:12 PM by Mike Palmer. caught in a red wine trap. 8737
www.inaturalist.org
October 12, 2025 at 4:27 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Psocomorphs have some of the best wing venation
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #inaturalist #insects
Suborder Psocomorpha
Psocomorpha from Lane County, OR, USA on September 26, 2025 at 05:45 PM by Mike Palmer. gleaned from the side of house
www.inaturalist.org
October 7, 2025 at 8:36 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
This moth (reared from Salix hookeriana on the Oregon coast) looks ready for a cold snowy winter.
October 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
An NPR report just suggested that for prevention of nearsightedness, one should spend more time outdoors because you don’t focus on small things up close.

Ummm… really?
September 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
#inaturalist folks - powdery mildew week starts Monday! A fascinating group of organisms - and as long as you know the plant host, you stand a reasonably at getting a random white fuzz on a leaf identified!

www.inaturalist.org/projects/pow...
Powdery Mildew Week 2025
Join us for the first ever powdery mildew week! For one week only, between 29th September and 5th October, go out and search for powdery mildews and see how many you can find!
www.inaturalist.org
September 28, 2025 at 3:46 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
AI, you’re not very helpful.

Ecology for the insect Scolops abnormis and the bird family Scolopacidae, commonly known as snipes and sandpipers, differ greatly, as do their conservation statuses. A search for Scolops abnormis returned results for two different animals, a centipede and a planthopper
September 19, 2025 at 3:01 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Is there anyone else on this platform enrolled in the #inaturalist ambassador program? It would be nice to compare notes and share ideas.
September 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
The first Histerid I have found on our property! Though I am sure there are plenty more. #inaturalist #coleoptera #bugsky
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Saprinus lugens
Saprinus lugens from Lane County, OR, USA on September 14, 2025 at 02:35 PM by Mike Palmer. attracted to dead shrew. 8708
www.inaturalist.org
September 16, 2025 at 4:22 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
#inaturalist
It is Gall Week! Post all your galls!
www.inaturalist.org/projects/gal...
Gall Week September 2025
Welcome to the 8th Gall Week event! During September 6-14, please document galls = structures induced by arthropods, fungi, and sometimes bacteria on plants. Please do not document here leaf miners or...
www.inaturalist.org
September 6, 2025 at 7:16 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Happy September! Have a snazzy parasitoid.
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Tribe Cirrospilini
Cirrospilini from Lane County, OR, USA on August 31, 2025 at 06:10 PM by Mike Palmer. Emerging from a marginal white tischeriid mine on Ceanothus integerrimus. 8659.3
www.inaturalist.org
September 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
These Phyllonorycter mines are from a Salix on the Oregon Coast, unless I mislabeled my photos from Area 51.
August 25, 2025 at 5:07 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Stigmella says nom nom inside a cottonwood leaf
August 17, 2025 at 2:23 AM
cosmopterix.bsky.social
I finally found one of these guys. www.inaturalist.org/observations....
Golden Tortoise Beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata)
Golden Tortoise Beetle from Convolvulus ridge on August 2, 2025 at 03:17 PM by Mike Palmer. Beat sampled from Quercus. (however there was native Convolvulus nearby). 8625
www.inaturalist.org
August 3, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Reposted by Michael Palmer
4rogs.bsky.social
Spreading here—

Jacob Hoopes was arrested on Friday at his home. He asked for a warrant and in response they trained sniper sights on him. He is accused of assaulting an ICE officer at a protest. He is a Quaker pacifist and the nicest person I know.

His public hearing is Monday. Come if you can.
instagram post: ACTION ALERT Show your support for Jacob Hoopes and stand with us against fascism. Attend Jacob's public hearing: 1:30 PM on Monday 7/28 Mark O. Hatfield United States Courthouse 210 SW Main St, Portland, OR 97204 caption: Jacob Hoopes was violently arrested in his home by the FBI weeks after protesting ICE. Attend Jacob's public hearing and say NO to the violence, fear, and terror being inflicted upon our communities. I was informed that the federal courthouse will require an ID to enter, and removal of any mask. Please be aware. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me through DMs. Thank you. instagram post from fable: To my dear neighbors, friends, and family: First and foremost, thank you from the depths of my heart for the emotional and material support shown to both me and Jacob over the past 24 hours. We are both so thankful to the community around us that are holding us up during a traumatic time. I'm writing this letter to share my story and provide a status update on Jacob's wellbeing. For safety reasons, I will not be providing details related to Jacob's case. I do not speak on Jacob's behalf, nor my roommate's. This is my version of events. Al around 9 a.m. on Friday morning. July 25th, Jacob and I looked out our bedroom window to see a flood of armed officers race into our driveway and charge at our house with assault rifles. We quickly put on the first clothes we could grab and heard pounding and screaming on our door. Because everyone in my household is a safe, caring person, I was convinced they had the wrong house and couldn't understand what could warrant this kind of threat to our lives. Jacob attempted to ask through the window if the police had a warrant, and they responded by aiming laser reactive targets on his body, threatening his ife. I told Jacob to open the door because I feared we would die if we continued to ask for a warrant. Jacob opened the door with his hands up, empty-handed, and I and my roommate followed. We were screamed at, handcuffed, and put on the street in our underwear. There were about 20 FBI agents surrounding our house in unmarked vehicles, and several local Portland police officers. Jacob was put in the back of a car. I could not speak with him. We were not shown a warrant at this time. We were finally told that Jacob was being accused of 'assaulting a federal officer at an ICE protest. I cannot discuss this accusation due to the case being active, but I will speak on Jacob's character. Jacob is a pacifist Quaker who is the most compassionate, loving, gentle person I have ever met. I am made a better person b… continued: After Jacob was taken away, my roommate and I were provided with a few clothes but left handcuffed on our porch, while being reminded we could "leave at any time". FBI agents made snide remarks about our house and attempted to make jokes and ridiculous conversation while 1 was crying and shaking from adrenaline and anxiety. If we did not respond to their jokes or attempts at meaningless conversation, they laughed with each other and spoke as if they did not give a fuck about the terror they were causing us. All while repeatedly reminding us of how "nice" they're being. They accused me of having "blood" on a pair of my shoes sitting in my bedroom, which was splattered orange clay from my work as a preschool teacher. They seized some of our property to submit as "evidence" and I left before they finished their investigation to protect my own wellbeing. Jacob is being held in jail over the weekend and expects to see a judge on Monday, 7/28. We are lucky to have the resources to support him with a good lawyer. I have personally been able to speak with Jacob once over the phone, during which he expressed his fear, confusion, and disgust with the treatment toward people held at the MCSO. He has since been transferred to the Multnomah County Inverness Jail due to staffing shortages, which is less crowded and has a calmer environment. Jacob got emotional over the phone while I told him of the huge amount of support everyone has expressed over the past 24 hours. Again, thank you so much. It's so important to remember that this is not just about me or Jacob, but instead the larger evil of fascism, which seeks to destroy vulnerable communities. Being a white advocate offers certain protections compared to being an advocate of color due to the realities of systemic racism and racial privilege. Unfortunately, our bodies are perceived as less of a threat. It is necessary for white people to engage in advocacy, and this often means putting ourselves in harm's way. Jacob…
July 27, 2025 at 11:00 PM