Andrew Meeds
@ameeds.bsky.social
Phoenix, Arizona. Forensic Entomology and Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae).
Primary Color Sports Fan Enthusiast: Baseball (Reds) and Hockey (Blues).
Primary Color Sports Fan Enthusiast: Baseball (Reds) and Hockey (Blues).
I was invited out to a bioblitz at Agua Fria National Monument last weekend and recorded a lot of cool things. This reticulated beetle was definitely a highlight. My first time seeing a cupedid. This one is Prolixocupes lobiceps- it has been recorded from California, Nevada, and Arizona.
June 8, 2025 at 7:34 PM
I was invited out to a bioblitz at Agua Fria National Monument last weekend and recorded a lot of cool things. This reticulated beetle was definitely a highlight. My first time seeing a cupedid. This one is Prolixocupes lobiceps- it has been recorded from California, Nevada, and Arizona.
Spending my birthday morning hunting bot flies. Wish me luck!
May 23, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Spending my birthday morning hunting bot flies. Wish me luck!
Today was the microscopy lab for the intro biology lab I'm teaching this semester. I dunno how the students liked it, but I had a blast.
February 25, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Today was the microscopy lab for the intro biology lab I'm teaching this semester. I dunno how the students liked it, but I had a blast.
One perk of needing to be familiar with blow fly developmental timelines in forensic entomology is that you know when to have the camera ready to capture Phormia regina eggs hatching.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera #Calliphoridae
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera #Calliphoridae
February 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
One perk of needing to be familiar with blow fly developmental timelines in forensic entomology is that you know when to have the camera ready to capture Phormia regina eggs hatching.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera #Calliphoridae
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera #Calliphoridae
The Creosote Bush Katydid, Insara covilleae can be easy to miss when hiding in its food source. This color pattern is an effective one if you are trying to hide in creosote and this species isn't the only creosote specialist that displays it.
February 4, 2025 at 2:00 AM
The Creosote Bush Katydid, Insara covilleae can be easy to miss when hiding in its food source. This color pattern is an effective one if you are trying to hide in creosote and this species isn't the only creosote specialist that displays it.
Cryptocephalus maccus - December - Alamo Canyon, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
I've seen people start to call this the "Clown-faced Cryptocephalus". A fitting common name!
I've seen people start to call this the "Clown-faced Cryptocephalus". A fitting common name!
January 16, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Cryptocephalus maccus - December - Alamo Canyon, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
I've seen people start to call this the "Clown-faced Cryptocephalus". A fitting common name!
I've seen people start to call this the "Clown-faced Cryptocephalus". A fitting common name!
The scale and impact of their work can be seen when you find their fungus dumps. The ants move old bits of the fungus out of the nest. This stuff is grade A fertilizer. We saw one dump that was on the edge of a wash- every time it rains, that fertilizer is dispersing nutrients downstream.
December 28, 2024 at 2:39 PM
The scale and impact of their work can be seen when you find their fungus dumps. The ants move old bits of the fungus out of the nest. This stuff is grade A fertilizer. We saw one dump that was on the edge of a wash- every time it rains, that fertilizer is dispersing nutrients downstream.
These ants are fungus farmers. They gather plant material to feed to a fungus they cultivate underground. During the cooler months, they're easy to see since they'll work during the day. During the summer, they usually work at night to escape the heat.
December 28, 2024 at 2:39 PM
These ants are fungus farmers. They gather plant material to feed to a fungus they cultivate underground. During the cooler months, they're easy to see since they'll work during the day. During the summer, they usually work at night to escape the heat.
There's at least one colony that seems to have established in southeastern Arizona recently, but otherwise OPCNM is the only spot in the US where you can find this species that is common in Mexico.
These things are impressive to watch work and have a profound impact on their surroundings.
These things are impressive to watch work and have a profound impact on their surroundings.
December 28, 2024 at 2:39 PM
There's at least one colony that seems to have established in southeastern Arizona recently, but otherwise OPCNM is the only spot in the US where you can find this species that is common in Mexico.
These things are impressive to watch work and have a profound impact on their surroundings.
These things are impressive to watch work and have a profound impact on their surroundings.
Our yearlong survey of monthly trips to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument just ended and I've been going through photos.
If there's one insect from the park that you should know about, it has to be Atta mexicana, the Mexican Leafcutter Ants!
If there's one insect from the park that you should know about, it has to be Atta mexicana, the Mexican Leafcutter Ants!
December 28, 2024 at 2:39 PM
Our yearlong survey of monthly trips to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument just ended and I've been going through photos.
If there's one insect from the park that you should know about, it has to be Atta mexicana, the Mexican Leafcutter Ants!
If there's one insect from the park that you should know about, it has to be Atta mexicana, the Mexican Leafcutter Ants!
It took me like 10 years, but they say that I've finally mastered entomology.
December 21, 2024 at 4:54 PM
It took me like 10 years, but they say that I've finally mastered entomology.
This particular species, Piophila casei, is often called the cheese skipper and they can be a pest in cheese production. Piophilids are also the acting culprit in the infamous "maggot cheese", casu marzu.
November 25, 2024 at 7:33 PM
This particular species, Piophila casei, is often called the cheese skipper and they can be a pest in cheese production. Piophilids are also the acting culprit in the infamous "maggot cheese", casu marzu.
I collected these from adipocere tissue from a pig we were using to train law enforcement on collecting entomological evidence. They feed on decaying fats and rear quite easily on pig fat.
November 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM
I collected these from adipocere tissue from a pig we were using to train law enforcement on collecting entomological evidence. They feed on decaying fats and rear quite easily on pig fat.
Did you know that there's such a thing as jumping maggots?
Members of the family Piophilidae are called the Skipper Flies because the larvae will build tension by gripping their hind end with their mouth and then release it and fly through the air.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera
Members of the family Piophilidae are called the Skipper Flies because the larvae will build tension by gripping their hind end with their mouth and then release it and fly through the air.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera
November 25, 2024 at 7:29 PM
Did you know that there's such a thing as jumping maggots?
Members of the family Piophilidae are called the Skipper Flies because the larvae will build tension by gripping their hind end with their mouth and then release it and fly through the air.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera
Members of the family Piophilidae are called the Skipper Flies because the larvae will build tension by gripping their hind end with their mouth and then release it and fly through the air.
#ForensicEntomology #Diptera
This species seems to be fairly rare and I've only been able to find Arizona records. Too cool!
November 15, 2024 at 5:18 PM
This species seems to be fairly rare and I've only been able to find Arizona records. Too cool!
Got to have a beetle taxonomist come hang at the lab for a couple of hours yesterday and knew he must have found something good in our Organ Pipe samples by his reaction to this thing.
This is Telegeusis nubifer- a member of a family that I'd never heard of: Telegeusidae. The long-lipped beetles!
This is Telegeusis nubifer- a member of a family that I'd never heard of: Telegeusidae. The long-lipped beetles!
November 15, 2024 at 5:16 PM
Got to have a beetle taxonomist come hang at the lab for a couple of hours yesterday and knew he must have found something good in our Organ Pipe samples by his reaction to this thing.
This is Telegeusis nubifer- a member of a family that I'd never heard of: Telegeusidae. The long-lipped beetles!
This is Telegeusis nubifer- a member of a family that I'd never heard of: Telegeusidae. The long-lipped beetles!
I found these two in July. All were attracted to a UV light. Most of the range of this species is in Mexico. As far as the US is concerned, it's only found in the California and Arizona borderlands.
November 15, 2024 at 1:54 AM
I found these two in July. All were attracted to a UV light. Most of the range of this species is in Mexico. As far as the US is concerned, it's only found in the California and Arizona borderlands.
I spend a lot of time out at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument surveying insects. One of my favorite finds has been Thyanta (Argosoma) planifrons. I first encountered it in June. As far as I can tell, this is the first photo of this species.
November 15, 2024 at 1:53 AM
I spend a lot of time out at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument surveying insects. One of my favorite finds has been Thyanta (Argosoma) planifrons. I first encountered it in June. As far as I can tell, this is the first photo of this species.
We also encountered a ridiculous number of Moneilema gigas. These are more generalist cactus feeders, so non-target impacts decrease their likelihood as a good bio control candidate, but they are awfully impressive just the same.
November 13, 2024 at 1:46 AM
We also encountered a ridiculous number of Moneilema gigas. These are more generalist cactus feeders, so non-target impacts decrease their likelihood as a good bio control candidate, but they are awfully impressive just the same.
It was awfully late in the season, so we thought it was unlikely to encounter his main target, Coenopaeus palmeri but the bug gods smiled upon us and we found three specimens of this awesome cholla specialist that hollows out cactus stems.
November 13, 2024 at 1:44 AM
It was awfully late in the season, so we thought it was unlikely to encounter his main target, Coenopaeus palmeri but the bug gods smiled upon us and we found three specimens of this awesome cholla specialist that hollows out cactus stems.
We used iNat to find hot spots of this cactus in its native range and spent a couple of days searching for possible control agents. We were targeting longhorn beetles, but I was happy to encounter numerous cactus-specializing Heteroptera including Chlorochroa opuntiae & Chelinidea hunteri.
November 13, 2024 at 1:42 AM
We used iNat to find hot spots of this cactus in its native range and spent a couple of days searching for possible control agents. We were targeting longhorn beetles, but I was happy to encounter numerous cactus-specializing Heteroptera including Chlorochroa opuntiae & Chelinidea hunteri.
A few weeks back, I got to traipse around southern Arizona with Zach, a friend from Australia that I met on iNaturalist. He works in bio control and wanted to learn about insects that provide biological pressure to a cholla cactus species that is a difficult-to-control invasive species in Queensland
November 13, 2024 at 1:40 AM
A few weeks back, I got to traipse around southern Arizona with Zach, a friend from Australia that I met on iNaturalist. He works in bio control and wanted to learn about insects that provide biological pressure to a cholla cactus species that is a difficult-to-control invasive species in Queensland
On here you can expect lots of photos of my nature encounters, updates on research, and occasional venting about sports (maybe celebration one day? Probably not).
November 7, 2024 at 3:36 AM
On here you can expect lots of photos of my nature encounters, updates on research, and occasional venting about sports (maybe celebration one day? Probably not).
I love being in the field searching for insects and can usually be found sticking my nose and macro lens into deep vegetation. I spend most of my time in the desert, so this also leads to encounters with some cool non-bugs. I love to record my nature encounters and I'm obsessed with iNaturalist.
November 7, 2024 at 3:28 AM
I love being in the field searching for insects and can usually be found sticking my nose and macro lens into deep vegetation. I spend most of my time in the desert, so this also leads to encounters with some cool non-bugs. I love to record my nature encounters and I'm obsessed with iNaturalist.