Sarah Arnold
@sejarnold.bsky.social
Entomologist, likes pollination, insect behaviour, IPM, horticulture and agriculture, sustainability, nature and especially wild bees.
Works at Niab (UK). Views my own. she/her
Neurodivergent, quirky, sometimes wrong but usually teachable.
Works at Niab (UK). Views my own. she/her
Neurodivergent, quirky, sometimes wrong but usually teachable.
Pinned
As the last few years have seen some serious yield challenges in West African cocoa, leading to global price volatility (and noticeable increases in the price of chocolate bars, changes in recipes, etc.), let's think about just one part of this system: pollination.
A thread 🧵
[1/]
A thread 🧵
[1/]
As the last few years have seen some serious yield challenges in West African cocoa, leading to global price volatility (and noticeable increases in the price of chocolate bars, changes in recipes, etc.), let's think about just one part of this system: pollination.
A thread 🧵
[1/]
A thread 🧵
[1/]
February 13, 2026 at 4:07 PM
As the last few years have seen some serious yield challenges in West African cocoa, leading to global price volatility (and noticeable increases in the price of chocolate bars, changes in recipes, etc.), let's think about just one part of this system: pollination.
A thread 🧵
[1/]
A thread 🧵
[1/]
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications.
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
Replication studies: a win-win for early-career training and behavioral ecology
Replicating previous research builds confidence that results are real and meaningful. But close replications are rare due to limitations in resources and d
academic.oup.com
February 10, 2026 at 7:42 PM
How do we know our research results are REAL? We replicate them! Most folks agree but lament on how hard it is to publish these replications.
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
My dearest gentle reader, lament no more! Delighted to unveil: Replication Studies, a new section of Behavioral Ecology 1/
academic.oup.com/beheco/artic...
Great meeting with tree fruit industry people!
alt-text: (1) Ali Capper speaks to full meeting room of growers/industry; (2) Adam Walker (Niab) speaks in front of slide explaining woolly apple #aphid lifecycle; (3) Sarah Arnold (Niab) speaks with title slide on apple blossom #weevil.
#orchard #ipm
alt-text: (1) Ali Capper speaks to full meeting room of growers/industry; (2) Adam Walker (Niab) speaks in front of slide explaining woolly apple #aphid lifecycle; (3) Sarah Arnold (Niab) speaks with title slide on apple blossom #weevil.
#orchard #ipm
Today was the BAPL/Niab Apple and Pear Technical Day at East Malling. Lots of Niab speakers, pictured here are Adam Walker explaining how to use earwigs to for control of wooly apple aphid and Sarah Arnold presenting novel approaches to control of apple blossom weevil.
February 11, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Read our new Special Issue, Sensory Perception in a Changing World, guest edited by Almut Kelber, Kathleen Gilmour and Sanjay Sane, featuring Reviews & Commentaries discussing the impact of environmental change on how animals perceive their surroundings
tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny
tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny
February 11, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Read our new Special Issue, Sensory Perception in a Changing World, guest edited by Almut Kelber, Kathleen Gilmour and Sanjay Sane, featuring Reviews & Commentaries discussing the impact of environmental change on how animals perceive their surroundings
tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny
tinyurl.com/5t3mkrny
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
New PhD alert! We'll be applying animal welfare ideas to look at how stress affects bees, looking at the effect on bee brains with @lenariab.bsky.social, and working with @sensibee.bsky.social developing new monitoring methods.
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
The effect of stress on pollinator behaviour at Newcastle University on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - The effect of stress on pollinator behaviour at Newcastle University, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:21 PM
New PhD alert! We'll be applying animal welfare ideas to look at how stress affects bees, looking at the effect on bee brains with @lenariab.bsky.social, and working with @sensibee.bsky.social developing new monitoring methods.
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Please spread the word! #bees #PhD 🧪
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Do agricultural diversification practices pay off in the long run? Our new paper synthesizes 100+ years of evidence showing that diversification practices become more profitable over time and delivers growing benefits for soils, biodiversity, and carbon.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Long-term agricultural diversification increases financial profitability, biodiversity, and ecosystem services: a second-order meta-analysis - Nature Communications
Feeding a growing population while protecting the environment is a major global challenge. This study suggests that agricultural diversification enhances long-term profitability, biodiversity, soil he...
www.nature.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Do agricultural diversification practices pay off in the long run? Our new paper synthesizes 100+ years of evidence showing that diversification practices become more profitable over time and delivers growing benefits for soils, biodiversity, and carbon.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Steven Hammer, one of our regular collection users, co-developed a new #insect pinning block, with staff and volunteers from the museum.
It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...
#ECN2025
It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...
#ECN2025
Entoblock step
An improved pinning block for entomological collections.
It has five steps at different heights for quick and accurate label setting. The steps are visible from both sides, making it suitable for lef...
cults3d.com
November 9, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Steven Hammer, one of our regular collection users, co-developed a new #insect pinning block, with staff and volunteers from the museum.
It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...
#ECN2025
It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...
#ECN2025
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
I am teaching a GIS class this semester for undergrads. First time I’m teaching it and it’s all done in R. I’m super excited! I was wondering if you have any recs on papers that link GIS and geospatial science with ecology. I want to include readings and discussions for the lecture part. 🧪🌎#ratats
January 12, 2026 at 10:47 PM
I am teaching a GIS class this semester for undergrads. First time I’m teaching it and it’s all done in R. I’m super excited! I was wondering if you have any recs on papers that link GIS and geospatial science with ecology. I want to include readings and discussions for the lecture part. 🧪🌎#ratats
Plenty of Bombus terrestris workers active near Tower Hill station in London today - chilly but not bitter, and almost warm in the sun, so I guess they were making the most of the big flowering Choisya while conditions were good. Workers were collecting pollen, so active winter nest.
#Pollinators
#Pollinators
December 30, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Plenty of Bombus terrestris workers active near Tower Hill station in London today - chilly but not bitter, and almost warm in the sun, so I guess they were making the most of the big flowering Choisya while conditions were good. Workers were collecting pollen, so active winter nest.
#Pollinators
#Pollinators
Christmas day walk flowers: scentless mayweed, daisy, annual mercury, common mallow, black nightshade, marigold garden escape, red deadnettle, shepherd's purse, some sort of sowthistle?
Nice to have flowers still cheering things up.
#WildflowerHour
Nice to have flowers still cheering things up.
#WildflowerHour
December 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Christmas day walk flowers: scentless mayweed, daisy, annual mercury, common mallow, black nightshade, marigold garden escape, red deadnettle, shepherd's purse, some sort of sowthistle?
Nice to have flowers still cheering things up.
#WildflowerHour
Nice to have flowers still cheering things up.
#WildflowerHour
Has anyone found an Android app that genuinely, really:
1. Provides translation of voice/speech
2. Between English and Brazilian Portuguese
3. And does this in offline mode?
1. Provides translation of voice/speech
2. Between English and Brazilian Portuguese
3. And does this in offline mode?
November 27, 2025 at 12:37 AM
Has anyone found an Android app that genuinely, really:
1. Provides translation of voice/speech
2. Between English and Brazilian Portuguese
3. And does this in offline mode?
1. Provides translation of voice/speech
2. Between English and Brazilian Portuguese
3. And does this in offline mode?
Really brilliant day visiting fruit farms in São Paulo state. Lots to think about, comparing Brazilian v. UK strawberry cultivation - diff substrates, diff pests (though did see an SWD!) & very different pollinators! Super-cute seeing strawberry flowers pollinated by stingless bees!
#Horticulture
#Horticulture
November 26, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Really brilliant day visiting fruit farms in São Paulo state. Lots to think about, comparing Brazilian v. UK strawberry cultivation - diff substrates, diff pests (though did see an SWD!) & very different pollinators! Super-cute seeing strawberry flowers pollinated by stingless bees!
#Horticulture
#Horticulture
In Brazil to network around future collaborative projects and dynamic agroforestry. More about that later. For now...found an impressive (sadly deceased) Ascalapha odorata aka black witch moth aka duppy bat in my hotel. Amazing.
#TropicalEntomology #Lepidoptera
#TropicalEntomology #Lepidoptera
November 24, 2025 at 12:46 PM
In Brazil to network around future collaborative projects and dynamic agroforestry. More about that later. For now...found an impressive (sadly deceased) Ascalapha odorata aka black witch moth aka duppy bat in my hotel. Amazing.
#TropicalEntomology #Lepidoptera
#TropicalEntomology #Lepidoptera
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Ditto with final talk #AAB_IPPM by @sejarnold.bsky.social NIAB surveying parasitoid wasp diversity on aphids from strawberry crops in Kent. 4 main species found plus hyperparasitoids. eDNA barcoding showed more. Little relationship to local vegetation. Sadly missed rest or risk missing train.
November 12, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Ditto with final talk #AAB_IPPM by @sejarnold.bsky.social NIAB surveying parasitoid wasp diversity on aphids from strawberry crops in Kent. 4 main species found plus hyperparasitoids. eDNA barcoding showed more. Little relationship to local vegetation. Sadly missed rest or risk missing train.
Day 2 of #AAB_IPPM meeting and today is more entomological (but not entirely!). Lots of good talks on the schedule.
#IntegratedPestManagement #IPPM #SustainableAgriculture #HorticulturalEntomology
#IntegratedPestManagement #IPPM #SustainableAgriculture #HorticulturalEntomology
November 12, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Day 2 of #AAB_IPPM meeting and today is more entomological (but not entirely!). Lots of good talks on the schedule.
#IntegratedPestManagement #IPPM #SustainableAgriculture #HorticulturalEntomology
#IntegratedPestManagement #IPPM #SustainableAgriculture #HorticulturalEntomology
#AAB_IPPM meeting kicking off with excellent talk from Martin Lines @nffn.bsky.social - he has found that introducing flower-rich margins on his farm as habitat for beneficial biodiversity reduces pest damage significantly and much reduces need for synthetic inputs. #NaturalEnemies #IPM
November 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
#AAB_IPPM meeting kicking off with excellent talk from Martin Lines @nffn.bsky.social - he has found that introducing flower-rich margins on his farm as habitat for beneficial biodiversity reduces pest damage significantly and much reduces need for synthetic inputs. #NaturalEnemies #IPM
On my way to AAB Advances in Integrated Pest and Pathogen Management meeting - looking forward to a couple of days hearing about what's happening in applied IPPM research. www.aab.org.uk/event/advanc...
#IPM #IntegratedPestManagement #Biocontrol #Parasitoids #Aphids #AppliedEntomology
#IPM #IntegratedPestManagement #Biocontrol #Parasitoids #Aphids #AppliedEntomology
www.aab.org.uk
November 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
On my way to AAB Advances in Integrated Pest and Pathogen Management meeting - looking forward to a couple of days hearing about what's happening in applied IPPM research. www.aab.org.uk/event/advanc...
#IPM #IntegratedPestManagement #Biocontrol #Parasitoids #Aphids #AppliedEntomology
#IPM #IntegratedPestManagement #Biocontrol #Parasitoids #Aphids #AppliedEntomology
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Brilliant first session at today's Kent Wildlife Conference, with @ianbeavis.bsky.social talking Tunbridge Wells' urban hymenoptera, Scarlett Weston of @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social on urban bumblebees, and EA's Josh Hammond on citizen science in water quality monitoring in Kent. #KentNature
October 25, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Brilliant first session at today's Kent Wildlife Conference, with @ianbeavis.bsky.social talking Tunbridge Wells' urban hymenoptera, Scarlett Weston of @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social on urban bumblebees, and EA's Josh Hammond on citizen science in water quality monitoring in Kent. #KentNature
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
The impact of PhD studies on mental health - A longitudinal population study
PhDs can be and some would likely argue, should be hard.
But surely not *this* hard?
#AcademicSky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
PhDs can be and some would likely argue, should be hard.
But surely not *this* hard?
#AcademicSky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
The impact of PhD studies on mental health—a longitudinal population study
Recent self-reported and cross-sectional survey evidence documents high levels of mental health problems among PhD students. We study the relationship…
www.sciencedirect.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:18 PM
The impact of PhD studies on mental health - A longitudinal population study
PhDs can be and some would likely argue, should be hard.
But surely not *this* hard?
#AcademicSky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
PhDs can be and some would likely argue, should be hard.
But surely not *this* hard?
#AcademicSky
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Really proud of Cedric. It's been a fantastic project, piloting some super cool novel methods in #PollinationEcology and providing new insights into crop #pollination in legume systems. Cedric worked incredibly hard collecting all the data.
Thanks also to Angela Mkindi at NM-AIST in Tanzania!
Thanks also to Angela Mkindi at NM-AIST in Tanzania!
Congratulations to our PhD student Dr Cedric Maforimbo on successfully passing his PhD viva today. Thx especially to @evoeco.bsky.social who was the external & to Steve Belmain the UoG examiner & @sejarnold.bsky.social who was my co-supervisor along with #steveharte. We are all really proud of you!
October 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Really proud of Cedric. It's been a fantastic project, piloting some super cool novel methods in #PollinationEcology and providing new insights into crop #pollination in legume systems. Cedric worked incredibly hard collecting all the data.
Thanks also to Angela Mkindi at NM-AIST in Tanzania!
Thanks also to Angela Mkindi at NM-AIST in Tanzania!
I think it's going to be one of those autumns of many, many ladybirds. Seeing multiple reports of this sort of thing today, and enjoyed watching them all flying around in the sun outside work as well.
Lots of Harlequin Ladybirds, Harmonia axyridis, at Bodney church Norfolk, this afternoon.
These were inside the church but there were masses outside too.
#Ladybirds
These were inside the church but there were masses outside too.
#Ladybirds
October 6, 2025 at 9:18 PM
I think it's going to be one of those autumns of many, many ladybirds. Seeing multiple reports of this sort of thing today, and enjoyed watching them all flying around in the sun outside work as well.
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Exciting new meta-analysis: compared to calendar spraying, threshold-based management cuts insecticide use by 44% and costs by 40% without reducing yields, and supports more beneficial insects. www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Threshold-based management reduces insecticide use by 44% without compromising pest control or crop yield - Communications Earth & Environment
Pest control programs using pest density thresholds cut insecticide uses by 44% and costs by 40%, while maintaining yield and pest suppression, and enhancing beneficial insect populations, as revealed...
www.nature.com
September 12, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Exciting new meta-analysis: compared to calendar spraying, threshold-based management cuts insecticide use by 44% and costs by 40% without reducing yields, and supports more beneficial insects. www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Interesting new paper discussing fieldwork risk assessments and policies in UK HE (but which has some good ideas that other orgs could also incorporate) and how to make fieldwork safer, more inclusive and consider individual needs/intersectionality/etc. #Fieldwork #RiskAssessment
🏞️𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡?
Our new study looked at fieldwork policies and risk assessments from 90 UK universities offering environmental science courses.
The results are eye-opening:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Our new study looked at fieldwork policies and risk assessments from 90 UK universities offering environmental science courses.
The results are eye-opening:
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Improving university policies and risk assessment to support inclusive fieldwork in environmental sciences
Among 90 UK higher education institutions, there was patchy mention of protected and other identity-related characteristics in fieldwork policy and risk assessments, and very limited consideration of....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
September 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Interesting new paper discussing fieldwork risk assessments and policies in UK HE (but which has some good ideas that other orgs could also incorporate) and how to make fieldwork safer, more inclusive and consider individual needs/intersectionality/etc. #Fieldwork #RiskAssessment
My mind has just been blown and everything you thought you knew about biology is a lie... Seriously, this is one of the coolest "now rethink everything" type papers I've encountered in a while.
Look at this crazy thing!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants - Nature
In a case of obligate cross-species cloning, female ants of Messor ibericus need to clone males of Messor structor to obtain sperm for producing the worker caste, resulting in males from the same moth...
www.nature.com
September 3, 2025 at 8:44 PM
My mind has just been blown and everything you thought you knew about biology is a lie... Seriously, this is one of the coolest "now rethink everything" type papers I've encountered in a while.
Reposted by Sarah Arnold
Not long now till the 2025 Kent Wildlife Conference! This year's themes are urban biodiversity and citizen science - check out the impressive list of speakers here -
www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/programme/up...
Also - tickets only £22 including refreshments and lunch! So why not book your place today?
www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/programme/up...
Also - tickets only £22 including refreshments and lunch! So why not book your place today?
Kent Wildlife Conference
Saturday 25th October Kent Wildlife Conference 10am to 4pm. At the Darwin Conference Suite, Darwin College, University of Kent. Register by scrolling down and clicking the 'Register' button. Or...
www.kentfieldclub.org.uk
August 29, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Not long now till the 2025 Kent Wildlife Conference! This year's themes are urban biodiversity and citizen science - check out the impressive list of speakers here -
www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/programme/up...
Also - tickets only £22 including refreshments and lunch! So why not book your place today?
www.kentfieldclub.org.uk/programme/up...
Also - tickets only £22 including refreshments and lunch! So why not book your place today?