Michael Palmer
cosmopterix.bsky.social
Michael Palmer
@cosmopterix.bsky.social
Retired botanist but doing #entomology on a wildfire impacted landscape in Oregon.
INaturalist Ambassador.
INaturalist handle @cosmopterix
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
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
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
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
The annual home invasion begins!
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands
October 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
#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
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
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
#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
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
This moth (reared from Salix hookeriana on the Oregon coast) looks ready for a cold snowy winter.
October 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM
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
#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
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
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
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
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
Stigmella says nom nom inside a cottonwood leaf
August 17, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by Michael Palmer
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.
July 27, 2025 at 11:00 PM