Andrew Rivera

After ‘humiliating’ raid, Burkina Faso halts ‘gene drive’ project to fight malaria Disinformation campaign may have triggered “brutal” shutdown of mosquito lab

‘On 18 August, judicial police showed up at the Research Institute in Health Sciences (IRSS) in Bobo-Dioulasso, a key partner in Target Malaria, to stage what scientists described as a “brutal, humiliating” raid.’

My story on mosquitoes, malaria and misinformation in @science.org 🧪

Water lilies in a half wine barrel

I've gotta get in on this

Fun fact: this genus was split from Tegenaria, and the name is an anagram of the original genus.

Macro image in side view of a very stripy black and white Asian tiger mosquito drinking nectar from yellow goldenrod flowers.

Me: I'm gonna plant native wildflowers and attract lots of pollinators!

The pollinators:

I'll do it for $9

A dark brown mosquito is on a slightly hairy leg. This view looks onto the face and thorax of the insect vent to probe its proboscis into my skin. The brown legs fold out from the sides of the thorax with the hind legs lifted into the air behind the insect. Because the thorax and head are bent down, the wings and abdomen are running away from the plane of focus and get blurry in the distance

She thinks I’m sweet... Aedes triseriatus on my leg.

Best antennae+eyes combo there is

A small fluffy bee is generally brown, but has the dark bands of the abdomen that gives it a striped appearance. Its back two left legs are still touching the frogfruit blossom rimmed with white florets otherwise it appears suspended in the air.

Along the Mississippi River just south of the New Orleans Airport, A Megachile bee lifts into the air

Ah so no low-hanging fruit then, damn!

With a density of bites like that in an urban area, there's a decent chance you track them down the water source(s) and make your space more enjoyable. You're probably getting bit by aedes albopictus, which has a very short flight range. Rainbarrels and "self watering" pots can be a larval bonanza.

Selenops are the main spider I encounter in my yard, they seem to love granite

🕷️🍽️🕷️SALTICIDS EATING SALTICIDS🕷️🍽️🕷️

1 Phidippus eating Platycryptus
2 Hentzia eating Pelegrina
3 Eris eating Admestina
4 Colonus eating young Phidippus(?)

All of the neuropterans have eyes that blow me away! Ant lions are my personal favorite

Rough day for squirrel

I've been fooled by countless katydids, but this was my favorite moment of camouflage realization I've ever had

A photo, ground level, looking at a brown lizard on the forest floor, perfectly camouflaged against the brown leaf litter. The lizard has a somewhat large head with a large, keeled crest on the back of its neck.

🐸🦎🌿🐙📷 @ndrewrivera.bsky.social and I were on a steep trail in Costa Rica when I saw a tiny toad. I kept trying to get a shot, but it kept hopping just ahead of me and finally disappeared. Then Andrew noticed the toad had hopped down a narrow, hidden side trail. A Secret Toad Trail. So we--

Outstanding work Colin

Tougher Than Tom's Mosquito TNT » Colin Purrington's blog I’ve been inundated with ads for Tougher Than Tom’s Mosquito TNT so I thought I’d post some thoughts on the device in case they might be helpful to anyone considering whether to purchase them. They ar...

I just published a blog post on the Mosquito TNT, a trap marketed by Tougher Than Tom of Austin, Texas. Exhibit A is their misleading use of photoshopped images to convey effectiveness. I also detail the $80,800 fine the company just paid to the EPA. #mosquitoes colinpurrington.com/2025/06/toug...

I live for it

I'm in the pesticide realm but not in Ag so I always appreciate the how/why

That beetle can't decide if it wants to be an elaterid, a scarab, or a carabid

That's so rad! Both the spider and podcast feature 🙌

That is excellent! Thank you for reporting that!

been dreaming of a gar shirt - color or no color?

speak now or forever hold your peace 🫡

Hopefully the Pro-Tech doesn't count as a separate product

Taken today at 12175 tech center Dr, Poway CA 92064

Is it too late to change which mosquito is on the cover? That mosquito does not transmit malaria

Bloodsucker appreciation 🙌

Dermacentor variabilis "American Dog Tick" at left, Amblyomma americanum "Lone Star Tick" at right

Both are male, I believe - neat to see them both on the same bit of grass 🤩

in situ, NE Oklahoma - fujifilm, Laowa 65mm, diffused flash

To my dismay, I actually just saw these on the shelf at home Depot in California.