Brittany Rae Benson aka Okie-Trønder
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perithemis.bsky.social
Brittany Rae Benson aka Okie-Trønder
@perithemis.bsky.social
Howdy og hei! I'm an artist based in central Norway (though my origins are in Oklahoma). I play tuba, paint, sculpt, embroider, illustrate, write, etc. You know, arts stuff. Anyway, I also make a lot of candy, and study oribatid mites and Odonata.
Got my old lady up and running! She's sat still for 4 years as the flyer was missing. But a few weeks ago I found one! I built a new flyer support and added a drive band. Someone before me had nailed the mother-of-all in place so I couldn't adjust tension, until I solved that mystery.

#spinning
December 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Friday night tweed.

#spinning #yarn #tweeeeed #art
December 5, 2025 at 6:46 PM
You know it's Jul season when the cantina has the risengrøt out!

Neither of us found the almond, but it was extra good.

#jul #christmas #num
December 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Came in to find the office mite already decked in the halls! All that was missing was his hat, so I fixed him right up.

#godjul #christmas #acarology #bugs #lovemymite #miteyjul
November 27, 2025 at 7:42 AM
November 14, 2025 at 4:45 AM
And yesterday I finished a 3 ply yarn (with one of them an opposing twist). Was going for a winter sunrise.

Bonus image of my new plying setup.

#yarn #spinning #spindle
November 12, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Did my first 4 ply chord yarn this week! I like it, but the black ended up dominating more than I was picturing. Later, I figured out which yarn I was going for so I guess I'll have to give it another go! As is usual for now, it was all done with a spindle.

#yarn #spindle #spinning
November 12, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Rainbow on the grain elevator!

#rainbow #rainyday #grainelevator #kornsilo
November 5, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Took a spinning class this weekend so now I can officially operate the wheel!
November 3, 2025 at 4:54 AM
Happy Halloween! Here's a roach butt.
October 31, 2025 at 7:33 PM
They're here!!! Got some mostly very tiny nymphs of Pseudoglomeris magnifica. This is my second time trying the species. The first time, they lived long but never reproduced. I know a lot more now so we'll see how it goes this round.

#magnificent #roach #bug #soexcited
October 29, 2025 at 4:08 AM
Had a little buddy out today. Thought I'd try for a nice photo but there was absolutely no interest in sitting still.

#isopod #titan #bug #they'resowonderful
October 28, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Reposted by Brittany Rae Benson aka Okie-Trønder
Last chance to grab Isopod with a 20% off launch discount!
store.steampowered.com/app/2053910/...

You can also pick up the Sbug's Bugs Bundle to maximise your time with these two adorable spiders!
🕷️🦐🕷️
October 28, 2025 at 5:06 AM
A couple of my slides for next week's talk. And yes, it does link to outreach concepts! Anyway, that photo of me (left) is apparently 25 years old now.

#kazoo #outreach #teaching
October 25, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Got to see my favorite female pick a mate!! Afterwards she went straight to the fish food. Lucky male pictured on my hand. A few minutes later she was back to... advertising? Two males were going crazy over that but she ignored them.

#Blaberus #roach #bugs
October 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
So night before last I noticed the first babies from my Blaberus! Yesterday I was able to hold one just long enough for one photo before it yeeted itself back to the leaves.

#roach #blaberus #bugs #socuteilovethem
October 23, 2025 at 3:18 AM
I may be too far away to have joined a No Kings march, but my goodness have I been so happy to see the turnout from those who could! And I've enjoyed all the killer signs and costumes. I made a proper pumpkin pie to celebrate. Keep it up, guys!
October 21, 2025 at 4:31 AM
Some Porcellio bolivari enjoying some fish flakes. These guys are nocturnal and we tend to go to bed early, so the days Michael wakes me up stupid early are when I get to sit and watch them do their thing.

#isopods #bugs #porcellio #aaawww #ilovethemsomuch
October 18, 2025 at 9:58 AM
So I learned a thing!

I love using picture tubes in Corel, but I hadn't yet gone and learned how to make my own. Well, I decided it's high time I do that so I followed a 4 cell tutorial, using some oribatid mites. I am now armed and dangerous.

#corel #mites #science #art #microsoftstillsucks
October 16, 2025 at 6:41 AM
I give a talk on science outreach soon(ish) so am working on my slide art. This is Simandoa conserfariam nymph I did. I'm reminded how happy my stubborn butt is that I made the switch from MS Paint to Corel. And my rainbow sheen idea worked! Yay!

#roach #corel #microsoftsucks #science #outreach
October 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Michael needed some slide icons for a talk he was giving on the scientific publishing process. I was sad to hear none of the students got my Pokémon reference, recognized Louis XIV or knew my particular Igor. As usual, Michael was thrilled to be featured in my arts.

#science #teaching #art #woo
October 10, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Every morning and every night, I get mooned by this roach.
It hangs out inside the bark most of the time but has figured out that this hole perfectly fits its butt. It's a butthole.

#roach #dubia #bug #ohmygodwhydoesitdothat
October 9, 2025 at 10:42 AM
I spied a friend in the leaves.

Lovely lady Gyna caffrorum.

#roach #bug #insect
October 6, 2025 at 4:12 AM
This morning's beautiful sunrise belied the day to come. Last pic shows Steinkjer's expected day, after the strongest winds had passed. Parts of the south are being hit especially hard, and
I couldn't help but notice the warning took shape of a middle finger.
www.nrk.no/norge/ekstre...

#amy #storm
October 4, 2025 at 10:19 AM
And meet Number 4, the darkest of the bunch! I had never seen a hisser this dark and I'm thrilled he's kept the color so far! So handsome.

Anyhoo, that's all of the hissers we'll meet today. The others were hiding too good.

#roach #bug #meetabug
October 4, 2025 at 10:06 AM