Wei Han Lau
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weihanlau.bsky.social
Wei Han Lau
@weihanlau.bsky.social
290 followers 170 following 2 posts
Entomologist in training | MSc. student at the University of Alberta 🇨🇦🇸🇬 | Evolution and Systematics | I work on beetles! 🪲
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Reposted by Wei Han Lau
brettbullionart.bsky.social
Here’s all the little cicadas together. Put a little varnish on them. Now I just need to cut them out, scan them, and get them in some frames.
4 small circular paintings of cicadas on a single sheet of paper.
November 14, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
jlsteenwyk.bsky.social
NEW pub in @science.org 🥳

Is it sponges (panels A & B) or comb jellies (C & D) that root the animal tree of life?

For over 15 years, #phylogenomic studies have been divided.

We provide new evidence suggesting that...

🔗: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
November 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
tjalamont.bsky.social
Apropos of nothing in particular, here is a very small weevil posing majestically. (Brazil)
#Bugsky 🐙🌿
A macro photo of a weevil, in profile, upper left in the frame atop a fuzzy gray-green leaf. The weevil is orange with a coating of sparse yellow hairs, some of which are dense enough to form spots.
November 13, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
darrenirwin.bsky.social
New and improved! (as of today, now with page numbers and an issue number ;)

"Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers"

Led by Dr. Libby Natola:

doi.org/10.1093/jeb/...
Evidence for ancient selective sweeps followed by differentiation among three species of Sphyrapicus sapsuckers
Abstract. Genomic differentiation usually accompanies speciation, but that differentiation is often highly heterogeneous across the genome. Understanding w
doi.org
November 6, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
americanbeetles.bsky.social
The black velvet is an optimal backdrop for these use cases, because even black paper or plastic tends to reflect a lot of light. Velvet is especially good for iridescent insects, IIRC it's what we used for these guys at DPI:
preposterously, dazzlingly beautiful metallic lucanid beetles in the genus Lamprima, photographed at the NSW DPI biosecurity collection where I used to work
November 4, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
earlymodernjohn.bsky.social
Genuinely delighted to download a PhD thesis from a university repository where the author has neglected to remove the words "BITCH THIS IS YOUR THESIS" from the filename.
October 30, 2025 at 8:21 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
mcaterino.bsky.social
Histerid beetles are renowned for their extremely conserved (some would say 'boring', but we don't talk to those people) appearance. Here's a spicy one from French Guiana and Brazil - Phelister sanguinipennis.
dorsal photo of a point-mounted beetle. Beetle is elongate oval, rounded in front, kind of pointy in back. The head, thorax, and abdomen are dark reddish-brown, and the wing covers are a brightish red-orange. The head is projecting with two small fuzzy antennae at the sides, and the mandibles, while small, are pointy and slightly open.
October 16, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
ultrabrilliant.xyz
The Japanese Mario 64 official strategy guide is an incredible thing. "Can we make little hand-made dioramas of all the levels?" "Sure, why the hell not."
A model of the first level from Mario 64. A model of a snowy level from Mario 64.
October 3, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
nataliajagielska.bsky.social
And that's how you integrate digital elements into an exhibition. Part of the temporary "China's Dinosaur World" at the Shanghai Natural History Museum, China. Closing this November.

Video source: Shanghai Let's Meet
September 27, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
stephenbheard.bsky.social
It is impossible not to love tiger beetles.
johncarlson.bsky.social John Carlson @johncarlson.bsky.social · Sep 21
The Bronzed Tiger Beetles (Cicindela repanda) scampering along the Mississippi River beaches have subtle iridescent colors when you look closely.
A brown beetle stands on sand. There are white curly lines on the elytra scribbled in from the lateral margins. When you look closely at the brown parts of the elytra, thorax and head you see red and green iridescent sparkles
September 21, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
ascalaphid.com
Brother Herbert's prize pepo
little shrew monk guy with a bigass pumpkin
September 19, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
americanbeetles.bsky.social
Just pleocomid things
Dorsal view of a rain beetle, dark and glossy dorsally Ventral view of a rain beetle, unimaginably fluffy
September 16, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
the-episiarch.bsky.social
I've written a post about Cynomorium songaricum, a holoparasitic plant found in the deserts of Inner Mongolia. So how does this plant disperse its seeds across the desert and reach the roots of its hosts?

Well, with the help of some little friends. 🧪
dailyparasite.blogspot.com/2025/09/cyno...
<i>Cynomorium songaricum</i>
Deserts can be challenging environments to live in, doubly so when you are a parasitic plant that has to latch onto the roots of a specific ...
dailyparasite.blogspot.com
September 14, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
arthistoryanimalia.bsky.social
#AncientRome Intaglio: Two #cicadas fighting as gladiators
Roman Republic, 1st c. BCE
Carnelian, 17 x 21 x 3.5 mm
“Rare subject referable to the late republican repertoire of #insects that perform human actions.”
www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/...
“The two insects fight vigorously using gladiators weapons. The cicada on the left protects itself with a shield and raises the sword to hit its opponent, who fights with a spear and a shield. Both insects are finely engraved in detail, with the use of the typical mirror-polished globular elements. Groundline. Traces of letters in the field, partly erased due to the ancient wear marks of the stone surface. Attractive size and color of the stone. Slight crack in the lower left corner of the stone. Rare subject referable to the late republican repertoire of insects that perform human actions.”
September 15, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
dezene.me
Here is a pretty substantial northward range expansion for a mosquito (detected by several authors, including @mannamacdonald.bsky.social & @stephenbheard.bsky.social). 🪲🪳🧪

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

But don't worry, this one won't bite you. It only seems to feed on... wait for it... (1/2)
Quote from the Figure 1 heading in the paper: "Figure 1. Range map for Uranotaenia sapphirina. Shaded range is approximate and is drawn from the literature: Mexico, after Ortega-Morales et al. (Reference Ortega-Morales, Rodríguez-Martínez, Méndez-Alvarado, Garza-Hernández, López-Hernández and Medrano-Santillana2022); United States of America and Canada, after Darsie and Ward (Reference Darsie and Ward2005). The dot is 2022 New Maryland, New Brunswick collection; the Xes are our 2023–2024 collections near Woodstock, Fredericton, St. Martin’s, and Sussex, New Brunswick. The square is Stuart’s (Reference Stuart2007) record from Winnipeg, Manitoba; stars are selected research-grade observations from iNaturalist. The province of New Brunswick is enlarged, showing collection localities."
September 9, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
alexwild.bsky.social
I don't like rules about the use of common names in biology. The entire point of common names is that they ebb and flow and change and adapt to local needs. You can make them up. You can let different cultures have their own names.

Save the rules for the scientific names.
September 9, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
coleopsoc.bsky.social
#LiteratureNotice Sutherland et al. Diversity of Color in #PleasingFungusBeetles ( #Coleoptera: #Erotylidae: Erotylinae) doi.org/10.3390/d170... #Beetle #Beetles #Biodiversity
Figure 1. Example of dorsal pattern and color variation between the tribes (Tritomini (A–D), Erotylini (E–H), Megalodacnini (I–L), Encaustini (M–O), Dacnini (P)) of Erotylinae: (A) Ischyrus sp. 1, (B) Mycotretus tigrinus, (C) Pselaphacus nigropunctatus, (D) Tritomini gen 3, (E) Iphiclus sedecimpunctatus, (F) Iphiclus sp. 3, (G) Aegithus hemisphaericus, (H) Iphiclus odyneuroides, (I) Episcapha sp. 2, (J) Episcapha sp. 1, (K) Scaphodacne sp., (L) Episcapha sp. 4, (M) Encaustes sp., (N) Aulacocheilus sp., (O) Aulacocheilus sp., (P) Microsternus sp.
September 7, 2025 at 4:02 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
alisabokulich.bsky.social
Remembering the time I threw a geology-paleontology themed Bday party for the kids. Filled a kiddie pool with sand, real fossils & rocks, then had the kids dig & ID their finds for Geo-Paleo Bingo. Ended by exploding a giant Coke & Mentos volcano at the dig site. 😅 #AcademicParents
Over a dozen 9 year old & younger kids around a sandbox with a large papier-mâché volcano in center. A Geo-Paleo-BINGO card with boxes for Fossil Dinosaur Bone Gypsum Rosettes Apatite Rose Quartz Pyrite Brachiopod Fossil Jasper/Agate Arrowhead (yes one archaeology find, & I did explain differences btwn geology, paleontology, & archaeology to kids) Ammonite Fossil Pumice Dig Into Rocks & Fossils pocket booklets for kids to ID their finds (they got to keep the booklets & finds)
May 30, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
everydaylouie.bsky.social
ancient friends
a stylized 3d render of a kid drawing at a table, surrounded by ancient fish and sea creatures of the devonian and silurian.
May 26, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
suillia.bsky.social
Cephalosphaera furcata...one of the big-headed pipunculids, and a very smart one at that. From oak at Allerthorpe Common in East Yorkshire this morning. @dipteristsforum.bsky.social #pipunculidae #bigheaded
May 11, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
coleopsoc.bsky.social
#LiteratureNotice Hart et al. The first fossil #LonghornBeetles ( #Coleoptera: #Cerambycidae) from Australia doi.org/10.1007/s001... #Beetle #Beetles #Fossils #NewSpecies
Ferrucornus gulgongensis gen. et sp. nov. A, part (AM F145097); B, counterpart (AM F145098); C, D composite line drawing based on both part and counterpart. Abbreviations: a, abdomen; an, antenna; cx2, coxal cavity 2; e, eye; el, elytron; h, head; msf, mesofemur; mst, mesotibia; msts, mesotarsals; mtf, metafemur; mtt, metatibia; mtts, metatarsals; p, pedicel; pf, profemur; pn, pronotum; pt, protibia; pts, protarsals; s, scape; sc, scutellum
May 9, 2025 at 4:36 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
tomgauld.bsky.social
A recent @newscientist.com cartoon #fungi
Panel One: A scientist is giving a lecture. she stands at a lecturn. The current slide shows a list of the five kingdoms of living things: Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista and Monera. She says "Most people assume that fungi are plants. Whereas in fact, they form a kingdom of their own." Panbel Two: Caption : After the lecture The scientist now appears to be in a subterranean cave, before her stand two very large mushrooms guarding a larger, beardedmushroom who sits in athrone wearing a crown. One of the mushrooms says "His majesty is very pleased with the work you are doing."
May 3, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
aukeflorian.nl
NEW PAPER, JUST OUT! 👀

Insects from the '70s and '80s were already collecting microplastic, decades before the term microplastic even existed. 🤯

A thread on the surprising history of this pollutant and the incredible insect larvae that helped us uncover it. 🐛

Let's dive in! 🧵👇 1/x
Lead author Auke-Florian Hiemstra holds the oldest known caddisfly casing containing microplastic, dating to 1971. Photo: Liselotte Rambonnet. A caddisfly casing with pieces of blue microplastic, dating 1986. Photo: Auke-Florian Hiemstra
April 9, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Reposted by Wei Han Lau
aukeflorian.nl
JUST OUT! 🚨 Time capsule birds' nests! 🪹

I'm proud to share our discovery of layers of vintage plastic in urban birds’ nests... going back decades in time! 👀

“You flip through these nests like through pages of a history book, uncovering the past.” 📚

Let's dive in! 🧵👇 1/x

#scicomm 🧪🪶
Three photos are shown. A) The Rokin nest, a colourful plastic-filled nest inside a metal pipe. B) The Eurasian coots swimming side by side through the Rokin canal, Amsterdam C) A whole list of vintage plastics ranging from 2022-1991. Photos: Auke-Florian Hiemstra
February 28, 2025 at 10:56 AM