Awesome! 🤯🤯🤯
This is a potential new species interaction and expansion of the known host range for this genus, as Bracon wasps are not reported to be directly associated with gall forming wasps or their natural enemy communities. #biodiversity
#A_day_in_the_life of a live oak (day 456): Parasitoid wasp in the genus Bracon (family Braconidae) emerging from leaf galls induced by Belonocnema mesoamericana on the Central American live oak (Quercus oleoides) near Los Otates , Veracruz, MX. #biodiversity
#A_day_in_the_life of a live oak (day 455): Cynipid gall wasp Belonocnema mesoamericana on the Central American live oak (Quercus oleoides) near Los Otates , Veracruz, MX. #biodiversity
Great work! Congratulations!
Our work with Dr Matt McCary and team was featured in NYTimes! www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/s...
The discovery of a new “species” invariably leads to the discovery of new “species interactions” - new connections in the web of life. Here, the discovery of a new gall wasp also uncovered EIGHT new interactions with other insects - some likely new species as well. #biodiversity @ymilesz.bsky.social
𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘢 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘢 is a new gall #wasp found in the galls of a live #oak Quercus oleoides in Mexico.
The research increases the systematic knowledge of poorly known species in the genus Cynipini in the Neotropics: doi.org/10.3897/jhr....
Link to #OA paper… “Integrative systematics of a new species of the gall wasp genus Belonocnema Mayr (Cynipidae, Cynipini) on the Mesoamerican live oak Quercus oleoides (Fagaceae) and its associated hymenopteran community” jhr.pensoft.net/articles.php...
#NewSpeciesAlert! We discovered & described a new species of gall wasp, Belonocnema mesoamericana, on the central American live oak, Quercus oleoides. Great collaboration between Alejandro Zaldivar & lab at #UNAM, @ymilesz.bsky.social at #EdinburghUni, and my lab at #RiceUniversity. #biodiversity
So fun to collaborate with you @ymilesz.bsky.social! And as we both know, this is just the tip of the “biodiversity iceberg” in the live oak-gall wasp system.
Meet Belonocnema mesoamericana, a new species of Belonocnema that we described on Mexican live oak! This is a fun little critter that makes velvety root galls, a great find by @scottpegan.bsky.social and Alejandro Zaldívar-Riverón's team at UNAM.
jhr.pensoft.net/article/1851...
Biology is the only science where multiplication is the same thing as division. 😂🤣😂
#A_day_in_the_life of a live oak (day 328): Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) in a southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) near Houston, Texas. 📸:ChristaDenning #birds #birding #biodiversity
Who ‘dis? Mite with cute eye spots on its butt? Found on the branch of a southern live oak in Houston, Texas. ID help? #biodiversity
Great example of how humans are still evolving. www.sciencealert.com/humans-are-s...
#A_day_in_the_life of a live oak (day 454): #Predation in a live oak! Here, an eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) caught a Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) in a southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) near Houston, TX, USA. (📸:ChristaDenning) #biodiversity
The Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) is a social bird often found in wetlands & recognized by their loud, whistling calls. (Turn up the volume.)
Look at that camouflage! 👀The Florida bark mantis (Gonatista grisea).📸:ScottNelson #biodiversity
#A_day_in_the_life of a live oak (day 453): Florida bark mantis or lichen mimic mantis (Gonatista grisea) on a southern live oak (Quercus virginiana) in FL, USA. (📸:ScottNelson) #biodiversity
Registration is now open! Early-bird closes April 15. www.evolutionmeetings.org/registration...
We are so excited to host Dr. #ScottVEdwards from @harvard.edu for today’s department seminar!
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
It was a special moment. I was lucky to tag along!
Thanks to my colleagues Dr. CinTy Lee from
#RiceUniversity & Dr. Richard Gibbons from Texas @audubon.org for joining us and sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge! #birding #biodiversity
#Birding w/ #NSF post-baccs & #ScottVEdwards from @harvard.edu!
65 species in 3 hours!
So much fun! 🦆🦉
😂😂😂
Nothing sez love like a haustoria 💚