Cynipid
@cynipid.bsky.social
Crystal aka Fairy Gall-Mother
Entomologist, artist, and cat lover
Entomologist, artist, and cat lover
Pinned
Cynipid
@cynipid.bsky.social
· Jan 8
I'm an artist that incorporates insect themes and products. Some of my favorite media are stained glass, oak galls (for jewelry and dying), and wasp paper. Here's some of my more recent stained glass works.
Look at this stupid face! Stupidest face ever. So cute, it hurts...
I hope this shared pain has improved your day.
I hope this shared pain has improved your day.
October 30, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Look at this stupid face! Stupidest face ever. So cute, it hurts...
I hope this shared pain has improved your day.
I hope this shared pain has improved your day.
I have a new addition to my collection of earrings based on the forms of insect antennae. I started with serrate; then I did pectinate. The latter were my favorite and recently broke so I am recarving them and also did this lamellate set (bottom pair). Loving them!
October 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
I have a new addition to my collection of earrings based on the forms of insect antennae. I started with serrate; then I did pectinate. The latter were my favorite and recently broke so I am recarving them and also did this lamellate set (bottom pair). Loving them!
Trying out an alternative to the usual black tassel that I attach to my bookmarks. I love the color contrast compared to my leafminer bookmark. I absolutely adore this bookmark and I hope to eventually make more. Good, serpentine leaf mines are sometimes hard to find in high concentrations.
October 8, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Trying out an alternative to the usual black tassel that I attach to my bookmarks. I love the color contrast compared to my leafminer bookmark. I absolutely adore this bookmark and I hope to eventually make more. Good, serpentine leaf mines are sometimes hard to find in high concentrations.
Finished a gold version of the chrysomelid beetle. I need to make the back covers but otherwise I'm done with these two. Tortoise beetles will be next.
October 3, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Finished a gold version of the chrysomelid beetle. I need to make the back covers but otherwise I'm done with these two. Tortoise beetles will be next.
He despises the pumpkins that we grew in his honor so I need the wreath to keep him sitting amongst them. However, he refuses to NOT chew on the wreath so I give up for now on trying to get a cute photo for the vet clinic's annual calendar. We will do this every year for the rest of his life.
September 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
He despises the pumpkins that we grew in his honor so I need the wreath to keep him sitting amongst them. However, he refuses to NOT chew on the wreath so I give up for now on trying to get a cute photo for the vet clinic's annual calendar. We will do this every year for the rest of his life.
I'm loving the aesthetics of cats and Entomology-themed blankets. Makes me want to curl up with a warm cup of tea and cuddle with this wee-beasty.
September 27, 2025 at 3:37 AM
I'm loving the aesthetics of cats and Entomology-themed blankets. Makes me want to curl up with a warm cup of tea and cuddle with this wee-beasty.
Reposted by Cynipid
FYI: Despite recent info suggesting otherwise, my lab at CU Boulder is in fact accepting grad students fall 2026! Reach out if interested in insect systematics, phylogenetics, life history, insect-plant interactions.
September 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
FYI: Despite recent info suggesting otherwise, my lab at CU Boulder is in fact accepting grad students fall 2026! Reach out if interested in insect systematics, phylogenetics, life history, insect-plant interactions.
I completed a little embroidered chrysomelid. It turned out so cute! I created a tortoise beetle design that I will try out later.
Fall always makes me want to do fiber arts. I still have a new king-sized quilt in the works so there's hefty competition for my creative energy this year.
Fall always makes me want to do fiber arts. I still have a new king-sized quilt in the works so there's hefty competition for my creative energy this year.
September 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM
I completed a little embroidered chrysomelid. It turned out so cute! I created a tortoise beetle design that I will try out later.
Fall always makes me want to do fiber arts. I still have a new king-sized quilt in the works so there's hefty competition for my creative energy this year.
Fall always makes me want to do fiber arts. I still have a new king-sized quilt in the works so there's hefty competition for my creative energy this year.
Reposted by Cynipid
Opportunity: Arthropod Taxonomic Specialists (10 positions) at the University of Guelph 🪰🐝🪲🕷️🦂
Arthropod Taxonomic Specialists (10 positions) | Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
graduatestudies.uoguelph.ca
August 15, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Opportunity: Arthropod Taxonomic Specialists (10 positions) at the University of Guelph 🪰🐝🪲🕷️🦂
My stained glass storage just upped its game. The sheets are stored in old insect cabinets that are turned on their sides. My newest addition are the retired specimen boxes for housing Odonata specimens that I use for my scrap glass pieces. #stainedglass
July 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM
My stained glass storage just upped its game. The sheets are stored in old insect cabinets that are turned on their sides. My newest addition are the retired specimen boxes for housing Odonata specimens that I use for my scrap glass pieces. #stainedglass
Visiting the flea markets today in search of a couple things. (🧵Thread below if you need a/an mental/emotional break)
July 13, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Visiting the flea markets today in search of a couple things. (🧵Thread below if you need a/an mental/emotional break)
What would you associate with this container? It has a very specific purpose in my family. When I grew up and moved out on my own I had to find one just like it at an antique store in order for me to store this item(s) in my own home.
June 19, 2025 at 5:13 PM
What would you associate with this container? It has a very specific purpose in my family. When I grew up and moved out on my own I had to find one just like it at an antique store in order for me to store this item(s) in my own home.
A bug that looks like AI but it's actually real:
The big-legged bat fly, Megistopoda aranea
Gotta love funky dipterans! It's this it or Blepharcerid pupae which always remind me of the original Mickey Mouse caps with ears.
📷 By S. Ware at the Field Museum of Natural History
The big-legged bat fly, Megistopoda aranea
Gotta love funky dipterans! It's this it or Blepharcerid pupae which always remind me of the original Mickey Mouse caps with ears.
📷 By S. Ware at the Field Museum of Natural History
June 19, 2025 at 6:35 AM
A bug that looks like AI but it's actually real:
The big-legged bat fly, Megistopoda aranea
Gotta love funky dipterans! It's this it or Blepharcerid pupae which always remind me of the original Mickey Mouse caps with ears.
📷 By S. Ware at the Field Museum of Natural History
The big-legged bat fly, Megistopoda aranea
Gotta love funky dipterans! It's this it or Blepharcerid pupae which always remind me of the original Mickey Mouse caps with ears.
📷 By S. Ware at the Field Museum of Natural History
Here are some of my later blooming iris varieties. Tango Amigo, Cinque Terre, Sunrise Splendor, Black Suited, and Be My Honey.
June 13, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Here are some of my later blooming iris varieties. Tango Amigo, Cinque Terre, Sunrise Splendor, Black Suited, and Be My Honey.
My columbines this year
June 2, 2025 at 10:03 PM
My columbines this year
Two of my newer varieties bloomed.
Tango Amigo and Black Suited bearded irises.
Tango Amigo and Black Suited bearded irises.
May 29, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Two of my newer varieties bloomed.
Tango Amigo and Black Suited bearded irises.
Tango Amigo and Black Suited bearded irises.
I am considering reserving a booth at Ent Soc in Portland. Let me know if you would like to see some of my work available at the conference.
I'm an artist that incorporates insect themes and products. Some of my favorite media are stained glass, oak galls (for jewelry and dying), and wasp paper. Here's some of my more recent stained glass works.
May 29, 2025 at 2:13 AM
I am considering reserving a booth at Ent Soc in Portland. Let me know if you would like to see some of my work available at the conference.
With all the funding and employment problems, I'm curious how many people are planning on attending Ent Soc 2025. Who all is still currently planning on attending?
May 29, 2025 at 12:48 AM
With all the funding and employment problems, I'm curious how many people are planning on attending Ent Soc 2025. Who all is still currently planning on attending?
Everything is kind of soggy from the rain but here are my currently blooming plants in my yard (minus the irises).
May 26, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Everything is kind of soggy from the rain but here are my currently blooming plants in my yard (minus the irises).
~14 years (gray), 9 years (snowshoe Siamese), and 1 year (cream/pale-orange).
🥰😍🥰😍🥰
🥰😍🥰😍🥰
May 25, 2025 at 8:52 PM
~14 years (gray), 9 years (snowshoe Siamese), and 1 year (cream/pale-orange).
🥰😍🥰😍🥰
🥰😍🥰😍🥰
How it's going:
Watching a wasp come out of an oak gall...
Watching a wasp come out of an oak gall...
May 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
How it's going:
Watching a wasp come out of an oak gall...
Watching a wasp come out of an oak gall...
It actually opened when the sun came out for a few minutes. I've been so determined to get this species at my house! Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea).
May 18, 2025 at 8:56 PM
It actually opened when the sun came out for a few minutes. I've been so determined to get this species at my house! Scarlet globemallow (Sphaeralcea coccinea).
My irises are starting to go. First 4 varieties are an unknown dark purple variety, Victoria Falls, Immortality, and Concertina.
May 18, 2025 at 5:08 PM
My irises are starting to go. First 4 varieties are an unknown dark purple variety, Victoria Falls, Immortality, and Concertina.
Floral activity in my yard today. Dogwood, spiderwort, Penstemon, honeysuckle, evening primrose, Apache plume, orange paintbrush, scarlet globemallow, flax, and wallflower.
May 18, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Floral activity in my yard today. Dogwood, spiderwort, Penstemon, honeysuckle, evening primrose, Apache plume, orange paintbrush, scarlet globemallow, flax, and wallflower.