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Ash Whiffin

@ashwhiffin.bsky.social

πŸͺ² Entomologist, bonkers about beetles πŸ› Museum Curator 🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Usually found turning over logs/stones or poking in dead stuff. (she/her) πŸ”— https://linktr.ee/Ash_Whiffin

5,039 Followers  |  1,403 Following  |  261 Posts  |  Joined: 19.10.2023  |  1.8161

Latest posts by ashwhiffin.bsky.social on Bluesky

Thank you so much Lynda! 🌼

04.10.2025 21:18 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks so much, Joanie! 😁

04.10.2025 12:34 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Naturalists for Palestine Naturalists for Palestine is a call from individuals and organisations in the UK nature sector to stand for an end to the genocide in Gaza, and to the suffering and oppression of the people of Palesti...

We are all implicated in this UK-backed genocide & ecocide, against our wishes.

We must all stand up for the better world we wish to enjoy and share.

#N4P #Naturalists4Palestine

🧡

04.10.2025 09:08 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 4
2025 Nature of Scotland Awards Winners and Shortlist Congratulations to all our finalists! The shortlist for the 2025 awardsβ€―representsβ€―a cross-section of businesses, charities, the public sector and individuals working towards conserving the country’s ...

Lovely to see Ashleigh Whiffin on #GardenersWorld tonight. A very worthy finalist for the Outstanding Contribution award in this year’s #NatureOfScotland Awards! www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

03.10.2025 19:26 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Behind the scenes from our day of filming. Here I’m crouched down in one of the grassland areas looking at an orchid, with camera operator Gavin and producer Charlotte.

Behind the scenes from our day of filming. Here I’m crouched down in one of the grassland areas looking at an orchid, with camera operator Gavin and producer Charlotte.

Back in June, we hosted a team from #GardenersWorld to share how we’ve been improving the grounds of the National Museums Collection Centre for biodiversity. 🎬 🐞πŸͺ°πŸŒΏπŸŒΌ

Catch it here:
www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

#NMCCbiodiversity

04.10.2025 09:41 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

@ashwhiffin.bsky.social excellent film just now on Gardeners World. Great encouragement to enhance the biodiversity of sites

03.10.2025 19:35 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks so much Andy! 😊🐝🐞🌱

04.10.2025 09:33 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Join me in supporting the Remove Pesticides from UK Shelves Campaign Join the Butterfly Rescue MissionΒ  Sign our open letter to UK retailers, asking them to remove synthetic pesticides from sale, for a wilder, butterfly-filled futureΒ forΒ generations to come.Β  The UK ...

Join our call for UK retailers to remove synthetic pesticides from sale, for a wilder, butterfly-filled future πŸ‘‡
butterflyemergency.good.do/rescue-missi...

30.09.2025 11:32 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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We're pleased that the @parliament.scot Rural Affairs and Islands Committee has backed proposals in the Natural Environment Bill to introduce statutory targets to restore nature.

Nature targets are a key demand of our Scotland Loves Nature campaign.

Read more:
www.scotlink.org/msps-back-na...

01.10.2025 10:12 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

You can find out more about our #NMCCbiodiversity work by tuning into Gardeners World this Friday, at 8pm on BBC TWO.

πŸ“Ί www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

01.10.2025 19:58 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks so much for sharing! 🐞

01.10.2025 19:55 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A pinned Rain beetle specimen (Pleocoma oregonensis) from the Cornell University Insect Collection. This chestnut coloured beetle is blessed with an exceptionally fuzzy undercarriage.

A pinned Rain beetle specimen (Pleocoma oregonensis) from the Cornell University Insect Collection. This chestnut coloured beetle is blessed with an exceptionally fuzzy undercarriage.

Rain beetles are SO FLUFFY!

Now that we have your attention, don’t forget that Early-bird registration for #ECN2025 ends today. Don’t miss out!

➑️ www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-ecn-p...

πŸ“· Pleocoma oregonensis, from Cornell University Insect Collection.

30.09.2025 18:50 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Bugs to make you go β€œOoooh!” 😲🀩

29.09.2025 18:40 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A Painted Lady butterfly rests on a red brick wall in the sunshine.

A Painted Lady butterfly rests on a red brick wall in the sunshine.

A most welcome visitor to our site this week… A Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), soaking up the late September sun. It’s the first one recorded on our patch since 2021!

#NMCCbiodiversity

26.09.2025 19:55 β€” πŸ‘ 87    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Absolutely nobody asked for this but I reformatted my animal yeetability thread into printable poster & zine files.

Introducing, the "Pocket Guide to Responsible & Sustainable Animal YEETING" featuring a revamped rating system. Download links below.

29.02.2024 20:17 β€” πŸ‘ 3021    πŸ” 1284    πŸ’¬ 134    πŸ“Œ 98
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Why saving the honeybee could be bad news for other bees In this week’s newsletter: a conservation success story has a sting in its tail as wild pollinators pay the price

PLEASE READ! No more #BeeWashing. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

23.09.2025 17:55 β€” πŸ‘ 36    πŸ” 18    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3
A screenshot of a webpage making a call for papers announcement for a special issue of the New Zealand Journal of Zoology, focussed on soil and litter invertebrates. The page has a banner image photograph of a globular springtail facing towards the camera, with its head down, feeding on fungi on a decaying log.

A screenshot of a webpage making a call for papers announcement for a special issue of the New Zealand Journal of Zoology, focussed on soil and litter invertebrates. The page has a banner image photograph of a globular springtail facing towards the camera, with its head down, feeding on fungi on a decaying log.

Are you researching the conservation, ecology or taxonomy of soil & litter invertebrates?

Submit your paper to this Special Issue of NZ Journal of Zoology, edited by me, @carlosbarreto.bsky.social & @barnesecodiv.bsky.social!

More info: www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/nzjz-so...

#SoilBiodiversity πŸ§ͺ

24.09.2025 06:35 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 17    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Aren’t they ☺️ They’re Canary-shouldered thorns (Ennomos alniaria). These ones came to our light trap in the Cairngorms, Scotland, but they can be found throughout the UK.

24.09.2025 06:19 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Three Canary-shouldered thorn moths rest in a circle on my fingers, with heads all facing inwards.

Three Canary-shouldered thorn moths rest in a circle on my fingers, with heads all facing inwards.

Shhhh 🀫

*whispers* the moth meeting is in progress. They have very serious business to discuss.

23.09.2025 20:46 β€” πŸ‘ 254    πŸ” 55    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 1

😍😍😍

23.09.2025 20:43 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A handsome Nicrophorus from the putrefying squid trap

A handsome Nicrophorus from the putrefying squid trap

A delightful Necrophila, also from the putrefying squid trap

A delightful Necrophila, also from the putrefying squid trap

Yet ANOTHER beautiful Nicrophorus, also from the same squid trap run for one single night in a tiny patch of second-growth forest in suburban Pittsburgh

Yet ANOTHER beautiful Nicrophorus, also from the same squid trap run for one single night in a tiny patch of second-growth forest in suburban Pittsburgh

Squid traps really delivered this weekend :)

22.09.2025 14:21 β€” πŸ‘ 56    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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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...

08.08.2025 16:45 β€” πŸ‘ 54    πŸ” 23    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 1

Hooray!!!

05.09.2025 21:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸͺ² Weevils! The UK boasts 600+ species, almost as many as birds! Join us on 13 Oct (7–8pm) for an entoLIVE with @markgurn.bsky.social to explore their ecology, habitats & quirky plant preferences. It is FREE!!! Don’t miss it! πŸ§ͺ 🌎

πŸ”— Sign up here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1491232379...

05.09.2025 13:37 β€” πŸ‘ 38    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 1
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An opportunity of a lifetime for budding lichenologists. The National Trust and the Royal Botanics, Edinburgh are offering a PAID lichen traineeship in #Scotland! The work programme looks fascinating and a great opportunity to develop skills. Deadline: 3/10/2025. www.asva.co.uk/jobs/trainee...

05.09.2025 13:31 β€” πŸ‘ 101    πŸ” 48    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 5

It’s one of the predatory #CarrionBeetles (Silphinae) which hunts snails. In that area it could be Phosphuga atrata or Ablattaria laevigata - not possible to confirm which from these photos I’m afraid.

05.09.2025 21:17 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Advert for the up coming Entomological Collections Network meeting, in Portland Oregon, 8-9 November 2025.

Advert for the up coming Entomological Collections Network meeting, in Portland Oregon, 8-9 November 2025.

Talk titles for #ECN2025 are due TODAY!

Just titles today folks! Full abstracts (of no more than 150 words) must be submitted by the Sept 26th.

Don’t delay, submit your titles now:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

29.08.2025 15:53 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
A Brown Hairstreak butterfly and a fly, both feeding on yellow flowers, bordered by a pale orange rectangle and white text which reads 'Together for Insects'

A Brown Hairstreak butterfly and a fly, both feeding on yellow flowers, bordered by a pale orange rectangle and white text which reads 'Together for Insects'

Insects across the UK are in crisis. 🚨 Which is why we’ve joined forces with Buglife and @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social to create the Big Insect Rescue Plan – and we need your help to shape it!

Have your say here πŸ‘‰ butterfly-conservation.org/big-insect-r...

26.08.2025 14:05 β€” πŸ‘ 53    πŸ” 14    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Being a taxonomist is more than just being a taxonomist, and Ashleigh knows it. 🌼

It can open doors to a wide range of career opportunitiesβ€”and we’ve got proof! πŸ‘‡

#taxonomy #jobsearch #jobs #biodiversity

27.06.2025 11:45 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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ECN 2025 Portland, OR - Talk Submission This form is to submit a talk to be presented at the annual meeting of the Entomological Collections Network, November 8–9, 2025.

Talk titles for #ECN2025 are due this Friday (29th)! Full abstracts (of no more than 150 words) must be submitted by the Sept 26th.

Don’t delay, submit your titles now:
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

26.08.2025 13:36 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

@ashwhiffin is following 20 prominent accounts