Andrew Robertson
@andrew-antdude.bsky.social
PhD candidate at Georgia Tech studying ant behavior and epigenetics
Thanks to everyone who supported me! Thanks especially to @galacticpolymath.com for hosting the competition and helping me to get deeper into science communication! More #ant research is on the way!
The votes are in! 🎉
Here are the winners of the 2025 #MySciJourney #SciComm Video Competition:
🥇 @andrew-antdude.bsky.social
🥈 Kiara Rodriguez Acevedo
🥉 Jamilla Teixeira
Thanks to everyone who submitted—we’re building a library of short, diverse research stories for students & the public. 🙌🧪
Here are the winners of the 2025 #MySciJourney #SciComm Video Competition:
🥇 @andrew-antdude.bsky.social
🥈 Kiara Rodriguez Acevedo
🥉 Jamilla Teixeira
Thanks to everyone who submitted—we’re building a library of short, diverse research stories for students & the public. 🙌🧪
November 18, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Thanks to everyone who supported me! Thanks especially to @galacticpolymath.com for hosting the competition and helping me to get deeper into science communication! More #ant research is on the way!
Got a few nice #macro photos with the #fire #ants today, and managed to get a shot of the tiny chompers on this male. If you want to support my work with fire ants, don't forget to leave a like on my #scicomm video! Contest ends Saturday! youtu.be/DXypfsxjl0Q?...
November 13, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Got a few nice #macro photos with the #fire #ants today, and managed to get a shot of the tiny chompers on this male. If you want to support my work with fire ants, don't forget to leave a like on my #scicomm video! Contest ends Saturday! youtu.be/DXypfsxjl0Q?...
How often do you run into your school's mascot? This southern #yellowjacket #wasp queen was buzzing around my backyard yesterday, probably looking for a place to overwinter. Hope I don't meet her daughters in the spring
October 23, 2025 at 8:07 PM
How often do you run into your school's mascot? This southern #yellowjacket #wasp queen was buzzing around my backyard yesterday, probably looking for a place to overwinter. Hope I don't meet her daughters in the spring
I made a video for @galacticpolymath.com describing #MySciJourney in the world of #ants as part of their science communication challenge. Give it a quick look and remember to leave a like! #scicomm #outreach
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyp...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyp...
October 15, 2025 at 2:55 PM
I made a video for @galacticpolymath.com describing #MySciJourney in the world of #ants as part of their science communication challenge. Give it a quick look and remember to leave a like! #scicomm #outreach
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyp...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXyp...
Throwback to when I met my first trapjaw #ant (Odontomachus brunneus) in South Alabama. She gave me a little kiss, but it would be weeks later until I got my first sting. Ponerine venom feels really different from myrmecine, don't you think?
September 30, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Throwback to when I met my first trapjaw #ant (Odontomachus brunneus) in South Alabama. She gave me a little kiss, but it would be weeks later until I got my first sting. Ponerine venom feels really different from myrmecine, don't you think?
Want to learn about social #insect nests? Can't (or don't want to) read our giant review? Lead author Paige Caine wrote a blog post for #InsectesSociaux summing up the broad strokes of our synthesis and conclusions looking at #termite #wasp #bee and #ant nests!
insectessociaux.com/2025/09/27/i...
insectessociaux.com/2025/09/27/i...
Insect architects: How termites, ants, and bees build without blueprints
by Paige Caine Paige Caine is a PhD student in Dr. Michael Goodisman’s lab at Georgia Tech. She study fire ants and yellowjackets wasps. In this blog, she explains how social insects, such as…
insectessociaux.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Want to learn about social #insect nests? Can't (or don't want to) read our giant review? Lead author Paige Caine wrote a blog post for #InsectesSociaux summing up the broad strokes of our synthesis and conclusions looking at #termite #wasp #bee and #ant nests!
insectessociaux.com/2025/09/27/i...
insectessociaux.com/2025/09/27/i...
Sooo excited to share that our social #insect nest review is finally out! There is so much ground to cover between #termites #wasps #bees and #ants. I was thrilled to help out with this effort (and provide some cool photos!). Enjoy!
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Architecture of the insect society: comparative analysis of collective construction and social function of nests - Insectes Sociaux
Many social insects construct nests, which are fundamentally important to the success and survival of the colony. We review recent work on understanding the construction and function of social insect ...
link.springer.com
September 11, 2025 at 11:50 AM
#Ants are totally wild!! From obligately chimeric males to hybridogenesis and now "xenoparity" they really have just about every mode of reproduction I can think of. And probably a few that I can't!
Link to this fascinating new article:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Link to this fascinating new article:
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 4, 2025 at 6:07 PM
#Ants are totally wild!! From obligately chimeric males to hybridogenesis and now "xenoparity" they really have just about every mode of reproduction I can think of. And probably a few that I can't!
Link to this fascinating new article:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Link to this fascinating new article:
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
I'm planning to post more cool #ant pictures from my short time in #Colombia but I can't resist sharing this spiny #Trachymyrmex in the meantime. What big eyes she has! 👀
July 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I'm planning to post more cool #ant pictures from my short time in #Colombia but I can't resist sharing this spiny #Trachymyrmex in the meantime. What big eyes she has! 👀
What is common knowledge in your field, but shocks outsiders?
The US waged three wars against fire ants early in their arrival to the US nearly 100 years ago (through my hometown!). They dropped a variety of poisons with actual bombers across the southeast that likely hurt native animals more.
The US waged three wars against fire ants early in their arrival to the US nearly 100 years ago (through my hometown!). They dropped a variety of poisons with actual bombers across the southeast that likely hurt native animals more.
What is common knowledge in your field, but. shocks outsiders?
>90% of mosquito species (3700+) do not spread pathogens to humans.
>90% of mosquito species (3700+) do not spread pathogens to humans.
What is common knowledge in your field, but. shocks outsiders?
Most algae isn't bad or harmful. #NotAllAlgae
Most algae isn't bad or harmful. #NotAllAlgae
June 17, 2025 at 3:40 AM
What is common knowledge in your field, but shocks outsiders?
The US waged three wars against fire ants early in their arrival to the US nearly 100 years ago (through my hometown!). They dropped a variety of poisons with actual bombers across the southeast that likely hurt native animals more.
The US waged three wars against fire ants early in their arrival to the US nearly 100 years ago (through my hometown!). They dropped a variety of poisons with actual bombers across the southeast that likely hurt native animals more.
It's national #Pollinator week in the US! Here are a couple photos of native #bees, a paper #wasp, and the best #mosquito I've ever met! Where would we be without them 💚
June 17, 2025 at 3:30 AM
It's national #Pollinator week in the US! Here are a couple photos of native #bees, a paper #wasp, and the best #mosquito I've ever met! Where would we be without them 💚
@sarahmackattack.bsky.social is it wrong if I call squid ink teuth paste?
June 12, 2025 at 1:36 AM
@sarahmackattack.bsky.social is it wrong if I call squid ink teuth paste?
A trip to California absolutely means trying my hand at #ant #macrophotography
June 4, 2025 at 2:45 PM
A trip to California absolutely means trying my hand at #ant #macrophotography
I had a photoshoot with the #NeedleAnts today, #brachyponera chinensis. I couldn't decide what to post, so here's a thread, starting with predation on a favorite meal here in Atlanta, a #Reticulitermes worker
May 14, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I had a photoshoot with the #NeedleAnts today, #brachyponera chinensis. I couldn't decide what to post, so here's a thread, starting with predation on a favorite meal here in Atlanta, a #Reticulitermes worker
A new neighbor moved in this spring. Polistes exclamans is so vibrant
April 27, 2025 at 4:56 PM
A new neighbor moved in this spring. Polistes exclamans is so vibrant
Walking the tightrope is a bit less impressive when you have 6 legs tipped with claws and gripping pads. But hey, you're in the show!
#solenopsis #ants #fireants
#solenopsis #ants #fireants
April 14, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Walking the tightrope is a bit less impressive when you have 6 legs tipped with claws and gripping pads. But hey, you're in the show!
#solenopsis #ants #fireants
#solenopsis #ants #fireants
Meeting up at the (sugar) watering hole
Getting some more practice with my #macro lens and some #solenopsis invicta fire #ants . You can tell not only the variation in size, but also age! The smaller, pale ants below (called callows) will turn darker as they age.
Getting some more practice with my #macro lens and some #solenopsis invicta fire #ants . You can tell not only the variation in size, but also age! The smaller, pale ants below (called callows) will turn darker as they age.
March 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Meeting up at the (sugar) watering hole
Getting some more practice with my #macro lens and some #solenopsis invicta fire #ants . You can tell not only the variation in size, but also age! The smaller, pale ants below (called callows) will turn darker as they age.
Getting some more practice with my #macro lens and some #solenopsis invicta fire #ants . You can tell not only the variation in size, but also age! The smaller, pale ants below (called callows) will turn darker as they age.
Got a simple clip on #macro lens for my phone, and I think it's working alright. A #camponotus worker #ant with pretty well developed ocelli sat still just long enough for a half decent photo
February 28, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Got a simple clip on #macro lens for my phone, and I think it's working alright. A #camponotus worker #ant with pretty well developed ocelli sat still just long enough for a half decent photo
Happy #DarwinDay! Today, we celebrate biology, diversity, and the environment. I'm always so excited to learn more about the world we share with such amazing creatures.
Don't be afraid to flip over rocks or ask questions, you might just learn something by accident!🐜
Don't be afraid to flip over rocks or ask questions, you might just learn something by accident!🐜
February 12, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Happy #DarwinDay! Today, we celebrate biology, diversity, and the environment. I'm always so excited to learn more about the world we share with such amazing creatures.
Don't be afraid to flip over rocks or ask questions, you might just learn something by accident!🐜
Don't be afraid to flip over rocks or ask questions, you might just learn something by accident!🐜
What a cool study! A great idea to use #drones to capture reproductive #ants during nuptial flights. Maybe if I can attach my bug net to my drone, then I can catch some live queens for colony founding or even fill in data on ant #phenology
Link to study:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Link to study:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
(PDF) An adhesive drone trap to study the flight altitude preferences of winged ants
PDF | On Jan 11, 2025, Daniele Giannetti and others published An adhesive drone trap to study the flight altitude preferences of winged ants | Find, read and cite all the research you need on Research...
www.researchgate.net
February 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
What a cool study! A great idea to use #drones to capture reproductive #ants during nuptial flights. Maybe if I can attach my bug net to my drone, then I can catch some live queens for colony founding or even fill in data on ant #phenology
Link to study:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
Link to study:
www.researchgate.net/publication/...
So far my only paper, so I guess it's my "best known" 😅
Florida Harvester #Ants ( #Pogonomyrmex badius) vary their insect foraging across the year, but they always like seeds. Also, #Solenopsis invicta fire ants are mean but not deadly for FHAs. Message me if you want to learn more!
Florida Harvester #Ants ( #Pogonomyrmex badius) vary their insect foraging across the year, but they always like seeds. Also, #Solenopsis invicta fire ants are mean but not deadly for FHAs. Message me if you want to learn more!
February 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
So far my only paper, so I guess it's my "best known" 😅
Florida Harvester #Ants ( #Pogonomyrmex badius) vary their insect foraging across the year, but they always like seeds. Also, #Solenopsis invicta fire ants are mean but not deadly for FHAs. Message me if you want to learn more!
Florida Harvester #Ants ( #Pogonomyrmex badius) vary their insect foraging across the year, but they always like seeds. Also, #Solenopsis invicta fire ants are mean but not deadly for FHAs. Message me if you want to learn more!
Ever feel like your work follows you home? These #Solenopsis invicta fire #ants were building a nest on my sidewalk this afternoon
February 3, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Ever feel like your work follows you home? These #Solenopsis invicta fire #ants were building a nest on my sidewalk this afternoon