Jenny Jandt (she/her)
@thewasplady.bsky.social
Zoology Dept, Otago Univ: https://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology
Behavioural ecology and social evolution of insects: https://jandtlab.com/
NZ Entomologist (Editor): https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/tnze20
NZ Bug of the Year: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
Behavioural ecology and social evolution of insects: https://jandtlab.com/
NZ Entomologist (Editor): https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/tnze20
NZ Bug of the Year: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
Reposted by Jenny Jandt (she/her)
Colin Wright is a world class loser
July 31, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Colin Wright is a world class loser
German wasp vs male sweat bee.
When males hunt for mates, the ground nesting bee community becomes more obvious to predators. The males won't contribute to the nest, and the females don't waste time hovering. This community will be fine.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
youtu.be/ymdlevx43nY?...
When males hunt for mates, the ground nesting bee community becomes more obvious to predators. The males won't contribute to the nest, and the females don't waste time hovering. This community will be fine.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
youtu.be/ymdlevx43nY?...
German wasp catches sweat bee
YouTube video by Jenny Jandt
youtu.be
July 28, 2025 at 9:34 PM
German wasp vs male sweat bee.
When males hunt for mates, the ground nesting bee community becomes more obvious to predators. The males won't contribute to the nest, and the females don't waste time hovering. This community will be fine.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
youtu.be/ymdlevx43nY?...
When males hunt for mates, the ground nesting bee community becomes more obvious to predators. The males won't contribute to the nest, and the females don't waste time hovering. This community will be fine.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
youtu.be/ymdlevx43nY?...
Reposted by Jenny Jandt (she/her)
Tarantula Hawks are very handsome.
New World Tarantula-hawk Wasp (Pepsis sp.) on horsetail milkweed. #inverts
Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ
New World Tarantula-hawk Wasp (Pepsis sp.) on horsetail milkweed. #inverts
Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ
July 25, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Tarantula Hawks are very handsome.
New World Tarantula-hawk Wasp (Pepsis sp.) on horsetail milkweed. #inverts
Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ
New World Tarantula-hawk Wasp (Pepsis sp.) on horsetail milkweed. #inverts
Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ
A link to our #JandtLab website and to our "Is it a Bee?" pamphlet are now prominently featured on an Otago Regional Council site dedicated to Bees in Otago!!!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.orc.govt.nz/environment/...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.orc.govt.nz/environment/...
Bees
Learn about the bees of Otago – from native pollinators to introduced species. Discover their roles in biodiversity, food production, and ecosystem health.
www.orc.govt.nz
June 2, 2025 at 10:13 PM
A link to our #JandtLab website and to our "Is it a Bee?" pamphlet are now prominently featured on an Otago Regional Council site dedicated to Bees in Otago!!!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.orc.govt.nz/environment/...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.orc.govt.nz/environment/...
But wait... there's more...
Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology too!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology too!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer (Pūkenga/Pūkenga Matua) - Conservation Biology
Click the link provided to see the complete job description.
otago.taleo.net
May 19, 2025 at 4:11 AM
But wait... there's more...
Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology too!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Conservation Biology too!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Get your CVs updated. Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer in Evolutionary Ecology!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Lecturer/Pūkenga - Evolutionary Ecology
Click the link provided to see the complete job description.
otago.taleo.net
May 19, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Get your CVs updated. Zoology Department, University of Otago is hiring a Lecturer in Evolutionary Ecology!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
otago.taleo.net/careersectio...
Reposted by Jenny Jandt (she/her)
Also see: the absolutely ridiculous flappy fairy wings of Olixon banksii
March 23, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Also see: the absolutely ridiculous flappy fairy wings of Olixon banksii
Our recent publication on bumble bees was highlighted on RNZ today, and I was asked to give a short interview about it (~15 min).
The publication is open access - so anyone can access it: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
The publication is open access - so anyone can access it: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
The special relationship between bees and tomatoes
Bumble bees are the only insects that can pollinate tomatoes. Professor Jenny Jandt from Otago Uni's zoology department has just completed a study looking at how we can help the bumble bees thrive and...
www.rnz.co.nz
April 30, 2025 at 3:07 AM
Our recent publication on bumble bees was highlighted on RNZ today, and I was asked to give a short interview about it (~15 min).
The publication is open access - so anyone can access it: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
The publication is open access - so anyone can access it: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
www.rnz.co.nz/national/pro...
Reposted by Jenny Jandt (she/her)
🎨 Tie-Dye Your Lab Coat!
Join the Zoology Rainbow Committee for an explosion of color, creativity and snacks! Bring something cotton to dye, something plastic to carry it home, and wear mess-friendly clothes.
🗓️ 28 April 2025, 5:30 PM
📍 Benham Garage, Zoology
Join the Zoology Rainbow Committee for an explosion of color, creativity and snacks! Bring something cotton to dye, something plastic to carry it home, and wear mess-friendly clothes.
🗓️ 28 April 2025, 5:30 PM
📍 Benham Garage, Zoology
April 11, 2025 at 2:32 AM
🎨 Tie-Dye Your Lab Coat!
Join the Zoology Rainbow Committee for an explosion of color, creativity and snacks! Bring something cotton to dye, something plastic to carry it home, and wear mess-friendly clothes.
🗓️ 28 April 2025, 5:30 PM
📍 Benham Garage, Zoology
Join the Zoology Rainbow Committee for an explosion of color, creativity and snacks! Bring something cotton to dye, something plastic to carry it home, and wear mess-friendly clothes.
🗓️ 28 April 2025, 5:30 PM
📍 Benham Garage, Zoology
Not only a great opportunity to work at a stellar Uni, but it's only a 38 min drive to the Shire.
Wanna come work with me? We're advertising a fixed term Lecturer in Animal Behaviour at Waikato. We're especially keen on someone who works on birds, reptiles, bats etc. Let me know if you have questions!
www.seek.co.nz/job/83279795...
www.seek.co.nz/job/83279795...
Lecturer - Animal Behaviour Job in Hillcrest, Waikato - SEEK
Seeking an enthusiastic Lecturer in Animal Behaviour to teach, research, and supervise in ecology, biodiversity, and animal behaviour.
www.seek.co.nz
April 5, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Not only a great opportunity to work at a stellar Uni, but it's only a 38 min drive to the Shire.
Ok - I am not a fan of taking photos of dead things, much less posting them to socials. But I've successfully identified female (left images) and male (right images) Lasioglossum sordidum - New Zealand Sweat Bees - under a scope using a proper taxonomic key.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
March 20, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Ok - I am not a fan of taking photos of dead things, much less posting them to socials. But I've successfully identified female (left images) and male (right images) Lasioglossum sordidum - New Zealand Sweat Bees - under a scope using a proper taxonomic key.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Few things better than when your butterfly student knocks on your door and proudly presents a cup full of tiny wasps that emerged from her butterfly pupa.
What's in there? We need to slow them down & ID under the microscope. Today, we admire so many living in one pupa!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
What's in there? We need to slow them down & ID under the microscope. Today, we admire so many living in one pupa!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
February 25, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Few things better than when your butterfly student knocks on your door and proudly presents a cup full of tiny wasps that emerged from her butterfly pupa.
What's in there? We need to slow them down & ID under the microscope. Today, we admire so many living in one pupa!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
What's in there? We need to slow them down & ID under the microscope. Today, we admire so many living in one pupa!
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
February 20, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Re my love for bugs: "You have to look for them. But once you start looking, the world becomes this bigger, more magical place.”
I'm so happy she used this quote! Bug Day 2025 made it to The Guardian!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
I'm so happy she used this quote! Bug Day 2025 made it to The Guardian!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
Worm-like creature with ‘dark secret’ wins New Zealand bug of the year award
Velvet worms have rows of pudgy legs, skin speckled like a galaxy and dissolve their prey with sticky goo
www.theguardian.com
February 20, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Re my love for bugs: "You have to look for them. But once you start looking, the world becomes this bigger, more magical place.”
I'm so happy she used this quote! Bug Day 2025 made it to The Guardian!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
I'm so happy she used this quote! Bug Day 2025 made it to The Guardian!
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f...
It's the LAST DAY to vote for Bug of the Year 2025! We are 370 votes away from reaching 10,000 voters this year! Can we reach the goal in the next 7 hours?!?
Learn more about the nominees here - and don't forget to vote!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
#BugoftheYear2025
Learn more about the nominees here - and don't forget to vote!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
#BugoftheYear2025
February 17, 2025 at 3:53 AM
It's the LAST DAY to vote for Bug of the Year 2025! We are 370 votes away from reaching 10,000 voters this year! Can we reach the goal in the next 7 hours?!?
Learn more about the nominees here - and don't forget to vote!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
#BugoftheYear2025
Learn more about the nominees here - and don't forget to vote!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
#BugoftheYear2025
Happy Valentine's Day!
Learn more about the Exquisite Owlet here.
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
The Entomological Society of New Zealand
Learn more about the Exquisite Owlet here.
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
The Entomological Society of New Zealand
February 15, 2025 at 12:04 AM
Happy Valentine's Day!
Learn more about the Exquisite Owlet here.
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
The Entomological Society of New Zealand
Learn more about the Exquisite Owlet here.
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
The Entomological Society of New Zealand
Happy Valentine's Day!
Learn more about the Giant Springtail here:
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
Learn more about the Giant Springtail here:
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
February 14, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Happy Valentine's Day!
Learn more about the Giant Springtail here:
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
Learn more about the Giant Springtail here:
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
#bugoftheyear2025
Happy Valentine's Day!
Still haven't voted for Bug of the Year yet? Consider the Gravel Maggot - named after Smeagol (Smeagol climoi). Click the link to learn more about this nominee!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
Still haven't voted for Bug of the Year yet? Consider the Gravel Maggot - named after Smeagol (Smeagol climoi). Click the link to learn more about this nominee!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
February 13, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Happy Valentine's Day!
Still haven't voted for Bug of the Year yet? Consider the Gravel Maggot - named after Smeagol (Smeagol climoi). Click the link to learn more about this nominee!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
Still haven't voted for Bug of the Year yet? Consider the Gravel Maggot - named after Smeagol (Smeagol climoi). Click the link to learn more about this nominee!
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
Happy Valentine's Day! Our study (6yrs to develop, 2yrs to carry out) is published! We show that by adding additional flowers (here, borage) to a protected monocrop (here, tomatoes) increases bumble bee colony health AND fruit output.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
The impact of floral diversity on bumblebee colony development and pollination efficacy among foragers - Apidologie
The environment in which pollinators are reared may influence both their health and pollination performance. We compared the performance of 12 colonies of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), each in their...
link.springer.com
February 13, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Happy Valentine's Day! Our study (6yrs to develop, 2yrs to carry out) is published! We show that by adding additional flowers (here, borage) to a protected monocrop (here, tomatoes) increases bumble bee colony health AND fruit output.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Check out our latest study - led by Greer Sanger and co-supervised by Janice Lord - on the Kahukura | NZ Red Admiral preference and performance on Ongaonga | Stinging Nettle (its host plant).
Congratulations Greer!
newzealandecology.org/nzje/3581
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Congratulations Greer!
newzealandecology.org/nzje/3581
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Preference and performance of Pūrerehua Kahukura (Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla) on native and introduced nettles of Aotearoa
The preference-performance hypothesis suggests that female insects prefer to oviposit on the host plant that provides the highest fitness for offspring. However, introduced plants can cause ecological...
newzealandecology.org
January 22, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Check out our latest study - led by Greer Sanger and co-supervised by Janice Lord - on the Kahukura | NZ Red Admiral preference and performance on Ongaonga | Stinging Nettle (its host plant).
Congratulations Greer!
newzealandecology.org/nzje/3581
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Congratulations Greer!
newzealandecology.org/nzje/3581
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Sometimes, the nest entrance gets blocked with dirt while Momma is out foraging. If you watch in the upper right corner at the start of the video, another Momma flies right into her nest - no problem. But the Leioproctus fulvescens on the bottom - she's gotta dig first.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
January 22, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Sometimes, the nest entrance gets blocked with dirt while Momma is out foraging. If you watch in the upper right corner at the start of the video, another Momma flies right into her nest - no problem. But the Leioproctus fulvescens on the bottom - she's gotta dig first.
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
@zoologyotago.bsky.social
Reposted by Jenny Jandt (she/her)
If you know anyone who might be interested in working as a technician before a PhD, I'm looking for someone to work with me to generate some amazing data to understand the genetics of behavior, sex differences, and reproduction in an evolutionary context. Bonus? Amazing and supportive department!
January 9, 2025 at 11:23 PM
If you know anyone who might be interested in working as a technician before a PhD, I'm looking for someone to work with me to generate some amazing data to understand the genetics of behavior, sex differences, and reproduction in an evolutionary context. Bonus? Amazing and supportive department!