Rob Cruickshank
@bugblokenz.bsky.social
Lecturer @UCNZ | entomologist | ex-librarian | museum junkie | phylogeny nerd | urban iNaturalist | nemophilist (woodland enthusiast) | bug hotelier | maker | cyclist | drummer | koumpounophobe | INFJ | born 322 ppm CO2 | he/him | there's other stuff too
I'd rather not leave David Seymour at the top of my feed, so here are some far more delightful creatures that I've seen in our lovely little city of Ōtautahi this year.
December 20, 2024 at 10:17 AM
I'd rather not leave David Seymour at the top of my feed, so here are some far more delightful creatures that I've seen in our lovely little city of Ōtautahi this year.
I'm taking a few week's break from social media. Happy holidays to those of you who take them at this time of year. See you in January!
December 20, 2024 at 9:32 AM
I'm taking a few week's break from social media. Happy holidays to those of you who take them at this time of year. See you in January!
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
A slide mounted cunaxid mite, Cunaxa capreolus, collected from leaf litter in northern California recently. Only 0.5 mm long, but sure to strike fear into the hearts of the litter springtails it might have encountered.
November 29, 2024 at 5:35 PM
A slide mounted cunaxid mite, Cunaxa capreolus, collected from leaf litter in northern California recently. Only 0.5 mm long, but sure to strike fear into the hearts of the litter springtails it might have encountered.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
20 years ago we were suing teenagers for millions of dollars because they were torrenting a single Metallica album and now billionaires are demanding the free right to every work in history, so that they can re-sell it.
The law only ever serves capital.
The law only ever serves capital.
‘Impossible’ to create AI tools like ChatGPT without copyrighted material, OpenAI says
‘Impossible’ to create AI tools like ChatGPT without copyrighted material, OpenAI says
Pressure grows on artificial intelligence firms over the content used to train their productsBusiness live – latest updatesThe developer OpenAI has said it would be impossible to create tools like its groundbreaking chatbot ChatGPT without access to copyrighted material, as pressure grows on artificial intelligence firms over the content used to train their products.Chatbots such as ChatGPT and image generators like Stable Diffusion are “trained” on a vast trove of data taken from the internet, with much of it covered by copyright – a legal protection against someone’s work being used without permission. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2024 at 4:34 PM
20 years ago we were suing teenagers for millions of dollars because they were torrenting a single Metallica album and now billionaires are demanding the free right to every work in history, so that they can re-sell it.
The law only ever serves capital.
The law only ever serves capital.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
For #Crustmas on #Woodensday:
gamisida długwe' ( #Crab Puppet)
Kwakwaka'wakw, BC, Canada, before 1952
Painted wood 11.4x22.9x67.9cm
UBC MOA
collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?...
#FirstNationsArt #NativeAmericanArt
The Kwakwaka’wakw have a history of puppetry related to ceremonial feasts.
gamisida długwe' ( #Crab Puppet)
Kwakwaka'wakw, BC, Canada, before 1952
Painted wood 11.4x22.9x67.9cm
UBC MOA
collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?...
#FirstNationsArt #NativeAmericanArt
The Kwakwaka’wakw have a history of puppetry related to ceremonial feasts.
December 18, 2024 at 6:28 PM
For #Crustmas on #Woodensday:
gamisida długwe' ( #Crab Puppet)
Kwakwaka'wakw, BC, Canada, before 1952
Painted wood 11.4x22.9x67.9cm
UBC MOA
collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?...
#FirstNationsArt #NativeAmericanArt
The Kwakwaka’wakw have a history of puppetry related to ceremonial feasts.
gamisida długwe' ( #Crab Puppet)
Kwakwaka'wakw, BC, Canada, before 1952
Painted wood 11.4x22.9x67.9cm
UBC MOA
collection-online.moa.ubc.ca/search/item?...
#FirstNationsArt #NativeAmericanArt
The Kwakwaka’wakw have a history of puppetry related to ceremonial feasts.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
Even the street lamps in Lyme Regis are ammonite themed.
December 17, 2024 at 11:30 AM
Even the street lamps in Lyme Regis are ammonite themed.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
This sign, marking the side entrance to the 58th Street jazz bar speakeasy in Peckham, raises more questions than it answers.
December 15, 2024 at 2:27 PM
This sign, marking the side entrance to the 58th Street jazz bar speakeasy in Peckham, raises more questions than it answers.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
Today I found this impressive mite in some leaf litter.
Oribatids are masters of self-protection: they've evolved protective armour flaps, some wear their old moults on their back like shields, and this Neotrichozetes spinulosa has instead opted to become a sentient pincushion!
🧪 #Invertebrates
Oribatids are masters of self-protection: they've evolved protective armour flaps, some wear their old moults on their back like shields, and this Neotrichozetes spinulosa has instead opted to become a sentient pincushion!
🧪 #Invertebrates
December 18, 2024 at 8:56 AM
Today I found this impressive mite in some leaf litter.
Oribatids are masters of self-protection: they've evolved protective armour flaps, some wear their old moults on their back like shields, and this Neotrichozetes spinulosa has instead opted to become a sentient pincushion!
🧪 #Invertebrates
Oribatids are masters of self-protection: they've evolved protective armour flaps, some wear their old moults on their back like shields, and this Neotrichozetes spinulosa has instead opted to become a sentient pincushion!
🧪 #Invertebrates
Question for British people: Have you ever heard or used the word 'pottle', and if so what do you think it means?
December 18, 2024 at 4:47 AM
Question for British people: Have you ever heard or used the word 'pottle', and if so what do you think it means?
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
okay since apparently this is turning into my Stuff I've Written (or helped write) about Trans Inclusion in STEM, a few more things. here's a recap of a presentation I did for @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social back at the 2022 conference.
yes, conference organizers, you too can organize a similar one!
yes, conference organizers, you too can organize a similar one!
Supporting trans and nonbinary ornithologists: WOS2022 DEIJ recap — The McLaughlin Lab
This blog post is a little different than my previous ones. I recently was invited to facilitate a discussion for the 2022 Wilson Ornithological Society meeting on trans and nonbinary inclusion in o...
www.jfmclaughlin.org
December 4, 2024 at 5:30 PM
okay since apparently this is turning into my Stuff I've Written (or helped write) about Trans Inclusion in STEM, a few more things. here's a recap of a presentation I did for @wilsonornithsoc.bsky.social back at the 2022 conference.
yes, conference organizers, you too can organize a similar one!
yes, conference organizers, you too can organize a similar one!
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
looking over the arguments also is a good (by which i mean viscerally horrifying) example of why there's a *specific* need for those of us who teach biology to be explicit in how we talk about sex and gender. so much transphobic rhetoric gains a foothold bc of misconceptions of biology + genetics
Trans inclusion in the biology classroom — The McLaughlin Lab
One of my favorite parts of working at a university is getting to teach. I find biology utterly fascinating and magical, and getting to impart that to students is an incredible joy. Although I don’t c...
www.jfmclaughlin.org
December 4, 2024 at 5:24 PM
looking over the arguments also is a good (by which i mean viscerally horrifying) example of why there's a *specific* need for those of us who teach biology to be explicit in how we talk about sex and gender. so much transphobic rhetoric gains a foothold bc of misconceptions of biology + genetics
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
The Irish National Biodiversity Data Centre runs a citizen scientist project monitoring butterfly populations, so you should find some useful information here: biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/butt...
Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme – National Biodiversity Data Centre
biodiversityireland.ie
December 11, 2024 at 11:36 AM
The Irish National Biodiversity Data Centre runs a citizen scientist project monitoring butterfly populations, so you should find some useful information here: biodiversityireland.ie/surveys/butt...
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
"Sugaring" would be an excellent iNaturalist project but I just checked for such and couldn't find anything.
December 11, 2024 at 11:09 AM
"Sugaring" would be an excellent iNaturalist project but I just checked for such and couldn't find anything.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
I generally get ground cover, soil type, digital location coords etc. when looking for ants 🧪
I’m going improve my metadata for next year to include:
Temperature
Humidity
Wind speed (tiny anemometer from eBay)
Cloud cover
Soil moisture
Going to revisit Darwin Core & look for relevant fields
I’m going improve my metadata for next year to include:
Temperature
Humidity
Wind speed (tiny anemometer from eBay)
Cloud cover
Soil moisture
Going to revisit Darwin Core & look for relevant fields
December 11, 2024 at 10:10 AM
I generally get ground cover, soil type, digital location coords etc. when looking for ants 🧪
I’m going improve my metadata for next year to include:
Temperature
Humidity
Wind speed (tiny anemometer from eBay)
Cloud cover
Soil moisture
Going to revisit Darwin Core & look for relevant fields
I’m going improve my metadata for next year to include:
Temperature
Humidity
Wind speed (tiny anemometer from eBay)
Cloud cover
Soil moisture
Going to revisit Darwin Core & look for relevant fields
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
🦋 Is it time for entomology to embrace compassion? This compelling read challenges traditional practices, urging us to study arthropods with care for their welfare and intrinsic value. 🪲
#entomology #compassion #ecocentrism #conservation
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2024/12/10/m...
#entomology #compassion #ecocentrism #conservation
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2024/12/10/m...
Making a case for compassionate entomology
Here, I make a case for something that I call compassionate entomology, which is a way of studying insects and other arthropods that upholds the intrinsic value and welfare interests of the individ…
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net
December 11, 2024 at 9:03 AM
🦋 Is it time for entomology to embrace compassion? This compelling read challenges traditional practices, urging us to study arthropods with care for their welfare and intrinsic value. 🪲
#entomology #compassion #ecocentrism #conservation
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2024/12/10/m...
#entomology #compassion #ecocentrism #conservation
blog.ecologicalcitizen.net/2024/12/10/m...
I'd be interested to hear from anyone doing regular repeated invertebrate #monitoring about what other #metadata you record when you visit your sites.
December 11, 2024 at 9:32 AM
I'd be interested to hear from anyone doing regular repeated invertebrate #monitoring about what other #metadata you record when you visit your sites.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
Slime molds may resemble fungi, but are in fact a distinct group of unrelated organisms.
Although they're single-celled organisms, they'll also perform an astonishing feat of cooperation - gathering together as a collective ‘organism’ to form amazing fruiting bodies.
Which is your favourite? 🧪🍄
Although they're single-celled organisms, they'll also perform an astonishing feat of cooperation - gathering together as a collective ‘organism’ to form amazing fruiting bodies.
Which is your favourite? 🧪🍄
December 11, 2024 at 8:47 AM
Slime molds may resemble fungi, but are in fact a distinct group of unrelated organisms.
Although they're single-celled organisms, they'll also perform an astonishing feat of cooperation - gathering together as a collective ‘organism’ to form amazing fruiting bodies.
Which is your favourite? 🧪🍄
Although they're single-celled organisms, they'll also perform an astonishing feat of cooperation - gathering together as a collective ‘organism’ to form amazing fruiting bodies.
Which is your favourite? 🧪🍄
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
Around 9,000 species have already gone extinct in Australia and we’ll likely lose another this week – new study
⬇️https://theconversation.com/
⬇️https://theconversation.com/
December 10, 2024 at 8:00 PM
Around 9,000 species have already gone extinct in Australia and we’ll likely lose another this week – new study
⬇️https://theconversation.com/
⬇️https://theconversation.com/
Can anyone point me in the direction of a standardised repeatable method for surveying #butterflies? If it makes a difference, it should be easy for non-experts to follow and be suitable for urban / suburban conditions. Thank you so much!
December 11, 2024 at 9:05 AM
Can anyone point me in the direction of a standardised repeatable method for surveying #butterflies? If it makes a difference, it should be easy for non-experts to follow and be suitable for urban / suburban conditions. Thank you so much!
Here's something you don't see every day. An entire school classroom on the back of a truck, waiting to be moved to a new location. The ultimate in recycling!
December 11, 2024 at 8:48 AM
Here's something you don't see every day. An entire school classroom on the back of a truck, waiting to be moved to a new location. The ultimate in recycling!
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
I've always used cheap wine added with sugar until almost saturated. I put this solution in a plant spray and spray a surface of approx 20 by 20cm on trees, if possible on both sides of a tree and do this on 30 to 50 trees in the afternoon. I control this when dusk has completely set.
December 10, 2024 at 8:40 AM
I've always used cheap wine added with sugar until almost saturated. I put this solution in a plant spray and spray a surface of approx 20 by 20cm on trees, if possible on both sides of a tree and do this on 30 to 50 trees in the afternoon. I control this when dusk has completely set.
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
PhD position available! Are you interested in how natural selection shapes the evolution of animal memory? Be part of our experimental evolution plans at UCL @ucl-pnl.bsky.social @treesdla.bsky.social , co-supervised by Flo Camus @fcamus.bsky.social. www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/evo...
Evolutionary ecology of animal memory | UCL Trees
This project seeks to explore how memory evolves in response to the ecological tasks that animals face in their natural environment. Associative memory exists in some form in almost all animal species...
www.trees-dla.ac.uk
December 9, 2024 at 5:46 PM
PhD position available! Are you interested in how natural selection shapes the evolution of animal memory? Be part of our experimental evolution plans at UCL @ucl-pnl.bsky.social @treesdla.bsky.social , co-supervised by Flo Camus @fcamus.bsky.social. www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/evo...
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
7). The end of year wrap up. Moth books, I think all serious moth-ers have so many ID books you need a separate house. So it was nice to read some other mothy literature for a change. Both brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable, thank you @mothyblackburn.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social #teammoth
December 9, 2024 at 4:44 PM
7). The end of year wrap up. Moth books, I think all serious moth-ers have so many ID books you need a separate house. So it was nice to read some other mothy literature for a change. Both brilliant and thoroughly enjoyable, thank you @mothyblackburn.bsky.social @jameslowenwild.bsky.social #teammoth
Reposted by Rob Cruickshank
@ajcann.bsky.social UV LED battery powered strip light and 5mm foam board - Amazon. Foam board notched each piece to slot together for the X shape. Width of foam board should be about 1mm less than the diameter of the bottle as the bottom LED wrap needs to fit inside the inverted dome #teammoth 1/2
December 8, 2024 at 3:42 PM
@ajcann.bsky.social UV LED battery powered strip light and 5mm foam board - Amazon. Foam board notched each piece to slot together for the X shape. Width of foam board should be about 1mm less than the diameter of the bottle as the bottom LED wrap needs to fit inside the inverted dome #teammoth 1/2