In 2012 driving across Oz I had stopped at Gilgandra & found an odd looking large-eyed strobe ant. It took us 10 years to start studying them. Fast forward to 2025 - @gmramon.bsky.social submits his PhD thesis on the sensory ecology of these fantastic ants. Wohooo! Keep an EYE for his papers 🥂🎉🐜🧭

While Fire ants are a menace, it is essential that media use correct images! Here is @cnn.com today that incorrectly refer to Australian Iridomyrmex #ants as Fire ants and have it as their featured image. Surely fire ant images are not to find!

Our latest paper on the jump kinematics and choreography in the Oz Splendid Peacock spider. We filmed & analysed locomotory jumps in male & female spiders. The males are incredibly light - measuring just 2mg - and oh they can jump! Videos in the thread. Open Access - read here: tinyurl.com/4bnpz9tz

We have a fully funded International 4-year position (combined Master of Research+PhD) to study visual navigation in jumping spiders. Project will be supervised by @pipilika.bsky.social, @mherberstein.bsky.social, @dinrao.bsky.social & Ximena Nelson. At Macquarie University, Sydney. Details below