Michael Palmer
@cosmopterix.bsky.social
Retired botanist but doing #entomology on a wildfire impacted landscape in Oregon.
INaturalist Ambassador.
INaturalist handle @cosmopterix
INaturalist Ambassador.
INaturalist handle @cosmopterix
January 22, 2026 at 4:30 AM
My pill sorter has the same reaction I did to the Davos speech
January 21, 2026 at 4:15 PM
My pill sorter has the same reaction I did to the Davos speech
planaria look pretty goofy.
December 30, 2025 at 5:14 AM
planaria look pretty goofy.
December 24, 2025 at 12:55 AM
This submillimeter beetle is so cute. Clambidae? Oregon USA #beetles #coleoptera #bugsky www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Beetles (Order Coleoptera)
Beetles from Lane County, OR, USA on December 8, 2025 at 09:48 PM by Mike Palmer. Caught in an aquarium sock in rising waters of an intermittent stream. 8847. Clambidae?
www.inaturalist.org
December 10, 2025 at 6:03 PM
This submillimeter beetle is so cute. Clambidae? Oregon USA #beetles #coleoptera #bugsky www.inaturalist.org/observations...
I put an aquarium sock in a refilling intermittent stream. It is good for collecting arthropods in the .5-2mm range - mostly terrestrial ones, some already dead, that get caught in rising water. Here are some of the beetles (more in comments). IDs are welcome!
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles (Family Latridiidae)
Minute Brown Scavenger Beetles from Lane County, OR, USA on December 8, 2025 at 06:11 PM by Mike Palmer. collected in an aquarium sock in refilling intermittent creek. 8842
www.inaturalist.org
December 9, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I put an aquarium sock in a refilling intermittent stream. It is good for collecting arthropods in the .5-2mm range - mostly terrestrial ones, some already dead, that get caught in rising water. Here are some of the beetles (more in comments). IDs are welcome!
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Mims raspberries producing April through December
December 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Mims raspberries producing April through December
I made a trap out of lees (dead yeast slurry from making wine). I was expecting a lot of Drosophila, but I mostly ended up with Nitidulidae. I think there are at least 3 species here. #coleoptera #beetles
November 21, 2025 at 5:42 AM
I made a trap out of lees (dead yeast slurry from making wine). I was expecting a lot of Drosophila, but I mostly ended up with Nitidulidae. I think there are at least 3 species here. #coleoptera #beetles
These shiny rovers beetles seem to like permanently saturated muck and mosses. #beetles #coleoptera. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Paraquedius marginicollis
Paraquedius marginicollis from Lane County, OR, USA on November 17, 2025 at 04:17 PM by Mike Palmer. rinsed off of mixed species of moss on rocky seep. 8807
www.inaturalist.org
November 18, 2025 at 4:58 PM
These shiny rovers beetles seem to like permanently saturated muck and mosses. #beetles #coleoptera. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
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
I love these cute tiny lacebugs (Acalypta) associated with ruderal mosses. about 1.7mm. Blue River, Oregon #bugsky #hemiptera
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
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
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'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
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!
Blackflies are more colorful than the vernacular name implies. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #diptera #insects
#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
Blackflies are more colorful than the vernacular name implies. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #diptera #insects
#bugsky #diptera #insects
The annual home invasion begins!
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands
#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
The annual home invasion begins!
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands
#fermentation
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut
October 19, 2025 at 1:37 AM
#fermentation
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut
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
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.
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
For those interested in #fermentation, I found this interesting free book: www.google.co.th/books/editio...
#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?
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
#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?
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?
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...
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
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...
Oh, it is a flat red bark beetle.
#inaturalist #bugsky #coleoptera
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
Psocomorphs have some of the best wing venation
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #inaturalist #insects
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
Psocomorphs have some of the best wing venation
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #inaturalist #insects
www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #inaturalist #insects
This moth (reared from Salix hookeriana on the Oregon coast) looks ready for a cold snowy winter.
October 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM
This moth (reared from Salix hookeriana on the Oregon coast) looks ready for a cold snowy winter.