Ash Whiffin

A metallic Blue Ground Beetle with long legs and textured wing cases crawling across bright green moss.

Rotting wood partially covered by vivid green moss.

A dense, moss‑covered woodland with twisted, lichen‑clad tree branches and large mossy boulders, creating a lush, damp temperate rainforest scene.

A close-up of a metallic Blue Ground Beetle with large pincers at the front.

Meet one of the UK’s rarest beetles that has been found in some temperate rainforests in the South West! 💙🪲

It loves damp woodlands, with lots of veteran trees and deadwood, which provide the sheltered hiding places it depends on.

Are you one of the lucky few to have seen one?

#BlueMonday

😮🤩💙

Adding this beautiful Blue Ground Skimmer (Diplacodes trivialis) for #BlueMonday

#Invertebrate #Macro #Photography 📸📸 🌿🖌️ #dragonfly #MacroMonday #EastCoastKin

A tiny metallic blue wasp on some old wood.

For #BlueMonday an electric turquoise and cerulean Blue Cuckoo Wasp from the fabulous walled garden @kneppwilding.bsky.social #bluebugs #bugsky
@ashwhiffin.bsky.social @waspwoman.bsky.social

The shiny metallic blue beetle Necrobia rufipes was one of the many new insect records for the Faroes in 2025.
#BlueBugs
#Tjóðsavnið
#Coleoptera

For @ashwhiffin.bsky.social's #BlueBugs, here is a gorgeous male Adonis Blue I had the good fortune to meet at Folkestone Warren last summer. 💙

A male Common Blue butterfly (Polyommatus icarus) rests on a flower.

Every year I try to repurpose #BlueMonday (which we all know is a load of 💩) and advocate for #insects by showcasing some beautiful BLUE BUGS!

Please join me by sharing your photos or artwork with the hashtag #BlueBugs 🦋🩵

📷 Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Cool idea! The perks of having a brother with a 3D printer 😁

That’s so cool that you tried it Steph! 😊 Really keen to hear any feedback so we can improve it.

😁 thank YOU! I’m so glad you tried it! Do send any feedback our way.

I’m sorry BlueSky, I have been neglecting you.

Sadly not able to make it this year! Got a clash 🙁

Entoblock step An improved pinning block for entomological collections. It has five steps at different heights for quick and accurate label setting. The steps are visible from both sides, making it suitable for lef...

Steven Hammer, one of our regular collection users, co-developed a new #insect pinning block, with staff and volunteers from the museum.

It’s 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...

#ECN2025

Are you a POC student, early career researcher, or professional entomologist from a country in the Global South?

We are now funding memberships!
Apply from October 1st to December 15th.

More info:
www.entopoc.org/apply.html
Apply:
docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLS...

Two mahogany cabinets, 20 drawers each with 1,675 insects. Donated by Riker's grandchild Marcia Rissland in 2000

Original patent for the Riker mount.

Close up of the hardware holding the glass on a Riker mounted butterfly and cabinet drawer mechanism.

An example of Riker mounted moths at different life stages.

Original Riker mounts by inventor Clarence Riker held at @denvermuseumns.bsky.social , presented by Genevieve Anderegg! 😍

The cabinets are just as intricate as the insects held within!Though lacking in collection data, lots of educational & natural history research value once imaged!

#ECN2025

We're at #ECN2025 in Portland, Oregon!

We're passionate about entomological collections, which is why we published some of last year's ECN in a special topical collection: nhcm.pensoft.net/topical_coll...

Check out the @pensoft.net stand for our latest news!

A few panels from the coloring guide: a scorpion, an isopod, and a tachinid fly (along with their info).

It's almost the weekend! 🥳

If you're looking for something for you and/or your kids to do, I've recently re-uploaded my arthropod coloring guide 🎨

Please feel free to share, print, and [definitely] have fun with it!!!

drive.google.com/file/d/1V59i...

Cole & Conner at one of their events, teaching children about insects.

Since 2023, this pair have organised over 15 public events & reached thousands of attendees!

They create their own specimen displays & use these in combination with live insects to explore insect biodiversity & teach basics collection techniques.

Incredible efforts from this young duo! 👏 [3/3]

Connor & Cole are two friends on a mission to engage children with insects.

What started out as a simple idea has grown into one of the leading youth-focused entomology programs in Southern California, and the first youth division of the Lorquin Entomological Society. [2/3]

ECN president Oliver Keller with Cole & Conner at ECN 2024.

The duo at the podium delivering a talk about their work.

If you attended the @entcollnet.bsky.social meeting last year in Phoenix, you may have met some of our youngest attendees, Connor Hsu & Cole Crammer. Here they are with @drfirefly.bsky.social!

They’re now in 11th grade and this year they’re back to deliver their first ever ECN talk! [1/3]

Image montage of the tiger beetle and Marian holding one.

How the creation of a school insect collection project, led to the discovery of Amblycheila cylindriformis in Montana…
bioone.org/journals/the...

Marian Kirst reminds us of the value of being a “filthy generalist” and the importance of building strong local connections.

#ECN2025

An utterly adorable illustration of a cartoon Rain beetle, complete with an orange umbrella and yellow rain boots.

🧡 @americanbeetles.bsky.social has really delivered again, with stickers for our meeting.

Behold… the most adorable Rain beetle you have ever seen! 😍

#ECN2025

This was such a fascinating and uplifting story of the evolution of a collection. What Chris has managed to achieve for the Oregon State Arthropod Collection is remarkable. 🥹👏 #ECN2025

Satisfying but intimidating layout of disassembled imaging system. It’s Linux for photography

Next year we will have speed trials for assembling Chris Wirth’s portable focus stacking camera system

Camera set up with Schmitt box for sense of scale. Photo credit: Andrew Johnston.

Super useful tips & tricks for insect specimen imaging from @andrewjohnston.bsky.social! He shares how to build an affordable focus stacking system on your own.

Handy guide available here:
www.insectid.org/post/focus-s...

#ECN2025 📸 🪲

This was very impressive! 📸

Printed program with a cute Rain beetle on the cover.

It’s time for #ECN2025 - my favourite annual meeting, entirely focused on #insect collections! This year we’re in Portland, Oregon. 🪲

Follow @entcollnet.bsky.social to keep up with the hot topics of the weekend.

(🤫 Yes, I’m a board member but no I am not biased!)

A sea of ECN attendees taking their seats.

Oliver at the podium

Huge welcome to all you lovely folks joining us today, both in-person and online! Great to have so many first-timers!

Let’s get to it, with a welcome from our President @drfirefly.bsky.social!

#ECN2025

Great to see nominations here for the wonderful @ashwhiffin.bsky.social and Lauriston farm as well as the great work being done by the Community Engagement team @thebotanics.bsky.social

Interested in communicating your science to a wider audience? 🔍🐝
Then this is for you!

@royentsoc.bsky.social Outreach Special Interest Group meeting is in beautiful #Edinburgh 22nd Nov

With workshops by @ashwhiffin.bsky.social, the bug farm, TVs Nick Baker & many more 🎉

(& the Xmas markets on!)