Ryan Shofner
@lizardman8891.bsky.social
Entomological researcher in taxonomy, systematics, phylogenetics, and pop gen. Barcoding Manager at Australian Museum. Avid photographer of plants and most cold-blooded things.
A TRA local #train crosses a stream in Pingxi. The clash between #urban and #nature in #taiwan really fascinates me, with really abrupt transitions and each fighting to take over space from the other. #travel #longexposure #railfan #urbandecay
April 10, 2025 at 11:27 AM
A TRA local #train crosses a stream in Pingxi. The clash between #urban and #nature in #taiwan really fascinates me, with really abrupt transitions and each fighting to take over space from the other. #travel #longexposure #railfan #urbandecay
A bombardier beetle (𝘗𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 sp.) from Neihu District #taiwan. It certainly surprised me with how vigorous it sprayed its hot gasses (with a high-pitched “poovv!” sound). That, and it constantly moving, made photography a bit challenging! #entomology #beetle #macrophotography #nature
April 9, 2025 at 11:52 AM
A bombardier beetle (𝘗𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 sp.) from Neihu District #taiwan. It certainly surprised me with how vigorous it sprayed its hot gasses (with a high-pitched “poovv!” sound). That, and it constantly moving, made photography a bit challenging! #entomology #beetle #macrophotography #nature
The local #train in Pingxi pulling into the station. This is the same train famous for running down the middle of the narrow street in Shifen. #taiwan #longexposure #travel
April 9, 2025 at 2:07 AM
The local #train in Pingxi pulling into the station. This is the same train famous for running down the middle of the narrow street in Shifen. #taiwan #longexposure #travel
I typically shoot photos with Olympus/Nikon DSLRs, but on this trip to Taiwan I’ve found my iPhone 14 Pro to be a formidable camera. The landscape and long exposure shots I can achieve with the phone are as good or better than what I can do with a professional setup (and often with less fuss).
April 8, 2025 at 5:31 AM
I typically shoot photos with Olympus/Nikon DSLRs, but on this trip to Taiwan I’ve found my iPhone 14 Pro to be a formidable camera. The landscape and long exposure shots I can achieve with the phone are as good or better than what I can do with a professional setup (and often with less fuss).
Raohe Night Market is always a hive of activity. Makes sense, as the food here is absolutely incredible (and cheap!) #taiwan #longexposure #travel #foodie
April 8, 2025 at 5:18 AM
Raohe Night Market is always a hive of activity. Makes sense, as the food here is absolutely incredible (and cheap!) #taiwan #longexposure #travel #foodie
This is one of the most impressive artificial waterfalls I’ve seen. Really captures the natural look of the surrounding landscapes. Longshan Temple, Taipei #longexposure #taiwan #landscape
April 8, 2025 at 4:01 AM
This is one of the most impressive artificial waterfalls I’ve seen. Really captures the natural look of the surrounding landscapes. Longshan Temple, Taipei #longexposure #taiwan #landscape
I am back in Taiwan, and I hope to find some of the excellent #herps that call the island home, although the weather has been cold the last week. Still, even 14 degree nights turn up house geckos! #taiwan #gecko #reptile #addHerper
April 7, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I am back in Taiwan, and I hope to find some of the excellent #herps that call the island home, although the weather has been cold the last week. Still, even 14 degree nights turn up house geckos! #taiwan #gecko #reptile #addHerper
Tiger snake (𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴) from Tasmania. There are only 3 species of snake in Tasmania (4 if you count washed up sea snakes), all of them dangerously venomous. 🐍 #snake #herpetology #australia #tasmania
February 11, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Tiger snake (𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴) from Tasmania. There are only 3 species of snake in Tasmania (4 if you count washed up sea snakes), all of them dangerously venomous. 🐍 #snake #herpetology #australia #tasmania
This was my first glowing mushroom, 𝘔𝘺𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘴, found after trudging through a pitch-black rainforest without any flashlight. I didn't have my tripod, so I laid in the mud and propped my camera with sticks to get this long-exposure shot. #mycology #mushroom #bioluminescence
February 10, 2025 at 12:01 AM
This was my first glowing mushroom, 𝘔𝘺𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘴, found after trudging through a pitch-black rainforest without any flashlight. I didn't have my tripod, so I laid in the mud and propped my camera with sticks to get this long-exposure shot. #mycology #mushroom #bioluminescence
Reposted by Ryan Shofner
“Burn it” 1 of 2
February 1, 2025 at 2:28 PM
“Burn it” 1 of 2
January 23, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Reposted by Ryan Shofner
She looks like a ‘deformed penis’ and smells like a dead possum: Sydney goes wild for its blooming corpse flower
She looks like a ‘deformed penis’ and smells like a dead possum: Sydney goes wild for its blooming corpse flower
Fans of the flower – known as Putricia – say they are ‘obsessed’ with the plant, although they have ‘never smelt that before’
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In…
www.theguardian.com
January 23, 2025 at 7:47 AM
She looks like a ‘deformed penis’ and smells like a dead possum: Sydney goes wild for its blooming corpse flower
Update: the line for Putricia is enormous. 3 hours from here!
January 23, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Update: the line for Putricia is enormous. 3 hours from here!
Putricia, an 𝘈𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘮 specimen at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, has bloomed. This is the world's largest and stinkiest flower, and the last time one bloomed at the gardens was 15 years ago. The livestream has been remarkably enthralling!
www.youtube.com/live/mrylcCA...
www.youtube.com/live/mrylcCA...
Corpse Flower livestream: A plant to die for
YouTube video by Botanic Gardens of Sydney
www.youtube.com
January 23, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Putricia, an 𝘈𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘶𝘮 specimen at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, has bloomed. This is the world's largest and stinkiest flower, and the last time one bloomed at the gardens was 15 years ago. The livestream has been remarkably enthralling!
www.youtube.com/live/mrylcCA...
www.youtube.com/live/mrylcCA...
I saw another video recently on Bluesky (which I haven't been able to find again) that showed the process of focus stacking images. I figured I could post the video I produced for the Sydney Science Trail this year on the same topic. It is a very useful technique for #macro photography!
January 23, 2025 at 12:16 AM
I saw another video recently on Bluesky (which I haven't been able to find again) that showed the process of focus stacking images. I figured I could post the video I produced for the Sydney Science Trail this year on the same topic. It is a very useful technique for #macro photography!
One of my favourite groups; just absolutely stunning insects. Taxonomically quite challenging though, as the winged males are both hard to find and difficult to match up with the female morphologically.
Arizona velvet ants are colorful little insects that will DESTROY you. Their sting is described as 'hot oil from the deep fryer'. As wingless wasps, they will drop you to your knees. They will make you call to god. They are the reason countless children are afraid of cute insects.
they are perfect
they are perfect
January 21, 2025 at 7:12 PM
One of my favourite groups; just absolutely stunning insects. Taxonomically quite challenging though, as the winged males are both hard to find and difficult to match up with the female morphologically.
There’s always something new to learn in Entomology! I didn’t know of the existence of this entire FAMILY of beetles (ship-timber beetles, Lymexylidae). Apparently the larvae farm fungus that they grow inside wood. Crazy stuff!
With its large eyes and very long abdomen, believe it or not, this amazing creature is a #beetle… a ship-timber beetle (Atractocerus sp.) to be precise.
Seen in the Perth Hills, January 2025
#ausinverts #wildoz #insects #bugsky #inaturalist
Seen in the Perth Hills, January 2025
#ausinverts #wildoz #insects #bugsky #inaturalist
January 18, 2025 at 3:35 PM
There’s always something new to learn in Entomology! I didn’t know of the existence of this entire FAMILY of beetles (ship-timber beetles, Lymexylidae). Apparently the larvae farm fungus that they grow inside wood. Crazy stuff!
240fps video of an electrical storm in Sydney, captured with my iPhone. It was a whopper of a storm, with more lightning strikes per second than I think I've seen in any other storm. #sydney #australia #weather #thunderstorm #lightning #slomo
January 17, 2025 at 8:38 PM
240fps video of an electrical storm in Sydney, captured with my iPhone. It was a whopper of a storm, with more lightning strikes per second than I think I've seen in any other storm. #sydney #australia #weather #thunderstorm #lightning #slomo
Reposted by Ryan Shofner
US Special Counsel Jack Smith concluded that Donald Trump engaged in an 'unprecedented criminal effort' to hold on to power after losing the 2020 election, but was thwarted in bringing the case to trial by the president-elect's 2024 election victory reut.rs/4hefOKm 1/9
Special counsel report found Trump engaged in ‘criminal effort’ to overturn 2020 election
U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith concluded that Donald Trump engaged in an "unprecedented criminal effort" to hold on to power after losing the 2020 election, but was thwarted in bringing the case to trial by the president-elect's November election victory.
reut.rs
January 14, 2025 at 9:12 AM
US Special Counsel Jack Smith concluded that Donald Trump engaged in an 'unprecedented criminal effort' to hold on to power after losing the 2020 election, but was thwarted in bringing the case to trial by the president-elect's 2024 election victory reut.rs/4hefOKm 1/9
My proudest achievement so far: publishing a chapter of my PhD thesis! 🧪 I described 2 new genera and 7 new species of lace bug, and clarified phylogenetic relationships of some Australian lace bug genera. It was a whopper of a paper; 66 pages long! #entomology #science #bugs
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
January 9, 2025 at 10:49 PM
My proudest achievement so far: publishing a chapter of my PhD thesis! 🧪 I described 2 new genera and 7 new species of lace bug, and clarified phylogenetic relationships of some Australian lace bug genera. It was a whopper of a paper; 66 pages long! #entomology #science #bugs
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
doi.org/10.1093/zool...
Not that anyone will care, but I cut and edited a video of a trip my family took to Chiayi and Alishan, Taiwan. I thought it would be more interesting than just sharing raw photo and video.
I learnt:
1) video editing is far harder than photo editing
2) music makes a video 1/
youtu.be/tyJMSpP6Knw
I learnt:
1) video editing is far harder than photo editing
2) music makes a video 1/
youtu.be/tyJMSpP6Knw
February 2024 Taipei to Alishan
YouTube video by shofmon88
youtu.be
January 9, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Not that anyone will care, but I cut and edited a video of a trip my family took to Chiayi and Alishan, Taiwan. I thought it would be more interesting than just sharing raw photo and video.
I learnt:
1) video editing is far harder than photo editing
2) music makes a video 1/
youtu.be/tyJMSpP6Knw
I learnt:
1) video editing is far harder than photo editing
2) music makes a video 1/
youtu.be/tyJMSpP6Knw
This isn't a particularly interesting shot by itself, but I thought that the juxtaposition here between humankind and nature was interesting. This 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 is sitting exactly as I found it, on a discarded catalogue.
December 23, 2024 at 9:22 PM
This isn't a particularly interesting shot by itself, but I thought that the juxtaposition here between humankind and nature was interesting. This 𝘏𝘺𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘪 is sitting exactly as I found it, on a discarded catalogue.
Can #toadtuesday be a thing? Let's make it a thing.
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
December 23, 2024 at 9:12 PM
Can #toadtuesday be a thing? Let's make it a thing.
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3
𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘴 (Taiwan common toad); Neihu District, Taiwan. Olympus E-M1 mk III; 60 mm macro, diffused flash.
#toad #frog #herpetology #amphibian #macro #nature #wildlife #taiwan #m4/3