Jakob Jilg

Species Identifications: Common Pitfalls Some thoughts about Identifications. How do we identify properly? How do we avoid mistakes?

I started a blog and my first post is online!
The posts will try to explore topics which are not typically covered by introductory literature and textbooks, e.g. because they are considered to be "too basic". Let me know what you think!

weevil-see.github.io/taxonomy/Ide...

Do I understand correctly that you do this to criticize iNats plans? I agree!
I see the main problem that reasoning for an identification changes based on context.
Id like iNat as the worldwide standard, but people in Europe are already concerned as the servers are located in the US...

For me it is always fascinating to be able to locate such tiny insects through their host plants. They are as reliable as a postal adress!

How to find Mogulones crucifer:
The weevil is native to Europe/West Asia, but has been introduced to North America to control its host (Cynoglossum officinale; Hound's Tongue) which is invasive there.

Could the needle be made out of silver? The corrosion is looking similar to that which is illustrated in this paper here: www.natsca.org/sites/defaul...

It is one week until TaxonWorks Together 2025.

With 7 in-depth conversations ranging from eDNA to Research Software Engineers and the role of vouchering, and stories of #data in transition, there's more than TaxonWorks on the table.

Join over 125 registrants, for free, at together.taxonworks.org.

Do I have to be a paying member of the ESA to take part? When clicking "register", it's not clear for me if I'm creating a free account or if I'm registering as a member :)
(asking publicly because it may matter to others as well, hope that is okay)

Online-Vortrag: Spannendes aus der Welt der Rüsselkäfer - Kompetenznetzwerk Artenkenntnis Niedersachsen (KNAK) Rüsselkäfer sind so charmant, wie der Name klingt. Häufig geht es, wenn man über sie spricht, allerdings um Schädlingsbekämpfung oder sie werden gefürchtet. Doch sie sind so viel mehr!Sie sind eine in...

I'll give a talk on weevils next week (April 23)!
Language will be German.
artenkenntnis-niedersachsen.de/events/onlin...

I think they like moist habitats, I've seen them once in Brandenburg on a moist meadow (on Urtica), and once in the south of Poland, montane environment, on a vegetation of large herbs, mainly Petasites.

I'm writing my master's thesis in the lab of Marianna Simões at the Senckenbergmuseum in Frankfurt. Its very inspiring to see how the team has been growing in numbers and is exploring new research areas
The lab is now on instagram, follow for updates: www.instagram.com/msimoeslab/
msimoeslab.com

Ganz sicher dass es O. gemmatus ist? Otiorhynchus hat ja über 1000 Arten in Europa, und in Slowenien würde ich auch Arten erwarten, die nicht über Fotos (z.B. im Internet) zugänglich sind.
Ich bin mir wegen der Bestimmung selbst nicht sicher, aber er sieht ungewöhnlich aus.

Komisch dass ObsIdentify daneben liegt, die Art wird oft fotografiert und ist für Otiorhynchus-Verhältnisse gut bestimmbar. Es ist Otiorhynchus gemmatus, eine Art die nur im westlichen Alpenraum vorkommt.

(PDF) An observation of active flight in Pachycerus Schönherr: Can macropterous weevils be flightless? (Lixinae: Cleonini) PDF | Flight in the Cleonini genus Pachycerus is reported for the first time. As the Cleonini where thought to be flightless in the past, and... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on Rese...

Here's a text discussing some aspects: www.researchgate.net/publication/...

Interesting question! Flight in beetles can be a complicated phenomenon. Usually Id say that you can check if they have long wings. I would assume that long wings and flight muscles are reduced in species which do not use them. However, many species with long wings are rarely/never observed flying.

A velvet worm (Onychophora: Peripatidae) in Chiriqí (Panamá). I was incredibly amazed to find this specimen under a bunch of logs and stones, but had to suppress my urge to frantically turn logs after realizing how dangerous some snakes in the area are...

This is how I find twiglet weevils (Acalles and related genera) in Central Europe. Weevils with comparable ecology are found wordwide, you can try it no matter where you are.
When beating twigs, be swift and careful, as they will drop to the ground at the slightest disturbance.

Trying to recycle instagram-content here:
Seems like only 4 slides at a time can be posted here.
What's missing are the slides where I tell how I tried to use CO1-barcodes to test if there are two separate species. I found no evidence but my study was VERY limited...

I already run an instagram on weevils (@weevil.see) but wanted to give Bluesky a shot.
So here's my first post: Chlorophanus viridis
The species is widespread in Germany, but according to Rheinheimer & Hassler has become rarer for unknown reasons. You'll find it in damp habitats, and its polyphagous