Just that these are no honeybees but sleeping solitary bees... with no hive to go to. Sorry Internet, the story is made up.

Seriously, @wileyonlinelibrary.bsky.social? Wiley CONNECT asks me about my race? As academic publisher in the 21st century? I could not select 'does not apply' #pale #privileged #person

A yellow historic tram travels along a narrow cobblestone street lined with bright-colored buildings in Lisbon, Portugal. The 10kLepGenomes and LepEU logos are overlaid in the bottom corner.

(1/4) 📢 Applications are open for the #LepEU Workshop 2026: a joint training + hackathon event focused on the analysis of #Lepidoptera genomic data.

🗓️ 26–29 May 2026
📍 Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon (Portugal)

Save the date! ⬇️

Talked @thuenen.de about 'Plant-Microbe-Pollinator Triangle' with examples from #Bombus #Halictidae
and #Lepidoptera 🐝⚘️🦠🦋Thanks to Wiebke Sickel for invitation

Laptop with code and mate cup from Peru

The proper way to analyze microbiome data from Peru 🇵🇪 😉 #butterfly #microbiota
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

We know that the role of nocturnal moths as pollinators has been greatly underestimated in Europe, but this impressive new study shows that tiger moths (Arctiinae) are important generalist pollinators in a lowland rainforest in Ecuador #teammoth 🌎
royalsocietypublishing.org/rspb/article...

The neonicotinoid Acetamiprid alters the chemical profile of the primitive eusocial bee Lasioglossum malachurum The widespread use of agrochemicals, particularly neonicotinoids, poses a significant threat to the health of (pollinating) insects. Various health tr…

New paper out!
#Microbiome depletion of ground nesting #bees in artificial lab-rearing, independent of #neonicotinoid treatment. This highlights the importance of #field work for studies on wild bee #microbiota🐝🦠 #Lasioglossum #Apilactobacillus
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Why are they lepidopterists not mothematicians

... and as an addendum: The Interview @BIOspektrum 🙋‍♂️
www.biospektrum.de/artikel/nach...

Blüten, Bestäuber und ihre Bakterien – eine Dreiecksbeziehung - BIOspektrum The plant-microbe-pollinator triangle represents a mutualistic tripartite interaction network among plants, microbes, and insects. Microbes do not only support pollinator health but influence pollination success directly by altering the scent of nectar. Pollinators, in turn, can serve as microbial vectors, and transfer microbes between flowers and across species. Understanding these complex interaction networks is crucial to sustain ecosystem service by wild pollinators for future generations.

Blüten, Bestäuber und ihre Bakterien – eine Dreiecksbeziehung ⚘️🐝🦋🦠 science communication article @BIOspektrum
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Frontiers | Host identity, more than elevation, shapes bee microbiomes along a tropical elevation gradient Understanding how host-microbiome interactions respond to abiotic and biotic factors is key to elucidating the mechanisms influencing ecological communities ...

New ANDIV paper published! 🐝🧬🧪What determines the insect microbiome along a tropical elevation gradient? Exciting study led by Andrea Pinos and Alexander Keller from @lmumuenchen.bsky.social
@ecoresearchzoo3.bsky.social
@biologie-uniwue.bsky.social

www.frontiersin.org/journals/mic...

Book cover: Tiere als Mikrobenzüchter

Übertragung der Symbionten der Olivenfliege

What a great find! 🤩 Paul Buchners 'Animals as microbe breeders' #insect #symbiosis from the 1960s! Beautiful illustrations, all in German, looks still new 🪲🪰🦠

Can´t dm you. So I put it here.

The aim of this proposal is to place population genomic insights into a comparative framework to gain fundamental insights into the determinants of evolutionary outcomes. The project will work within LepEU, the European Lepidopteran Population Genomics Consortium (https://lepeu.github.io/). LepEU provides access to field samples from European populations of diverse species. Chromosome-scale reference genomes are provided by Project Psyche (https://www.projectpsyche.org/). Networking during the postdoc will be facilitated by participation in the 10kLepGenomes COST Action (https://10klepgenomes.eu/). Existing datasets await analysis, while additional samples need DNA extraction and submission for sequencing. Functional validation capability (CRISPR/Cas9 gene manipulations) is also available to test emergent hypotheses of allele-to-phenotype impacts. Personal research interests of the postdoc will be important to determine the exact project, as the project has a generous sequencing budget.

The successful applicant should have a PhD (obtained within 6 years of the application deadline) in a suitable subject area, such as evolutionary biology or population genomics. A strong interest in population genomics, local adaptation, comparative analyses, and experience working with genomic-scale data is essential. The candidate must have a documented publication record demonstrating relevant skills. Experience working with bioinformatic pipelines (e.g., Snakemake), or working with butterflies is welcome but not essential. The net salary is 28,000 SEK/month (~2,430 Euro, not subject to Swedish income tax) and comes directly from the Carl-Trygger Foundation stipend, which is paid out directly to the postdoc. Only PhD candidates acquired outside of the host department can apply. Currently, the lab of Prof. Wheat consists of 3 postdoctoral researchers, while the Dept. of Zoology provides a vibrant and excellent research environment of active, dynamic researchers. Applications should include: i) a succinct description of research interests and experience, detailing your contribution to any relevant publications (max 1 page), ii) why you are the ideal candidate for this position in the lab (max 1 page); iii) a CV including a list of publications, and iv) the name and contact information of two personal references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a deadline of 23 August 2025. The project is planned to start on 1 October, but flexibility in the starting date can be provided for a suitable candidate. Please contact Prof. Wheat for additional information.

🚨Postdoc opportunity🚨: LepEU postdoc: comparative population genomics of European scale adaptation in butterflies

2 year, full-time PD in my group, Stockholm Univ.

Applications assed on rolling basis, deadline: 23 August 2025. Planned start 1 Oct.

Details:
christopherwheatlab.wordpress.com

Group photo of the attendees of the Population Genomics Workshop held in Montpellier. The participants stand in an open forest during a sunny day.

(1/4) 🦋 From May 12–16, 21 researchers from across Europe met in Montpellier for the 1st LepEU Workshop, coordinated under the COST Action @10klepgenomes.bsky.social

The goal: build a roadmap for collaborative butterfly and moth #PopulationGenomics to advance biodiversity research & conservation 👇

That was indeed a net-working event! 😅🦋 #LepEU

Logo of the LepEU initiative: a noctuid moth with a wing pattern resembling Europe, accompanied by the text “LepEU” in white and orange.

(1/3) Have you heard about #LepEU?
The European Lepidoptera Population Genomics Consortium is a group focused on unveiling patterns of differentiation and local adaptation in butterfly and moth populations across Europe 🦋🌍

LepEU 13 - 14 May

Field collection of butterflies

First #LepEU meeting in Montpellier was a great success. Thanks to all organizers #CNRS #COST10KLepGenomes for making this happen

Two great #postdoc opportunities! #insect #microbe #mutualism

Only few butterflies around... but a Halictus was very cooperative.

Spring mining bee

Spring mining bee (Colletes cunicularius). It's so fluffy! 🐝

Flower in snow

Springtime!

Hochschulen und Forschungsinstitutionen verlassen Plattform X - Gemeinsam für Vielfalt, Freiheit und Wissenschaft

Starkes Signal!!

Über 60 dt. Hochschulen & Forschungsinstitutionen haben heute ihren Ausstieg bei X bekanntgegeben, s.u. #eXit

X sei nicht mehr vereinbar mit ihren Grundwerten: „Weltoffenheit, wissenschaftliche Integrität, Transparenz und demokratischer Diskurs.“

Liste der Beteiligten hier:

Feels great to start the year on fresh project funds. #newPI #DFG #firstgrant #LMU

To all the #science #twitter refugees that found a new home on #bluesky. Welcome! 🦋🤗🥳

Pieris brassicae visiting a thistle flower

Very pleased 🙌 that DFG will fund my #grant proposal on #community #assembly of #butterfly 🦋 #microbiomes 🥳combining #fieldwork 🏕️ with #metabarcoding 🧬and #ecological #modelling🕺
#LMU #lepidoptera #symbiont #pollinator

Babies are fully fledged. #pieris #butterflies #entomology #science #symbiosis #lmu

Bumble bee microbiota shows temporal succession and increase of lactic acid bacteria when exposed to outdoor environments Question: The large earth bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) maintains a social core gut-microbiota, similar as known from the honey bee, which plays an important role for host health and resistance. Expe...

Wonder how much the environment can change the #bumblebee #microbiota? 🐝🦠🌦️
We found #temporal #dynamics in microbial community #succession when #Bombus #terrestris colonies were exposed to outdoor conditions.
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10....

First sighting of the year #Andrena #safethewildbees #miningbee

Come join me in beautiful New Mexico!! Excited to be recruiting a 3 year postdoc for an NSF/USDA funded position. Please see the flyer below for all the details and reach out if you have any questions. Please RT and share with anyone who would be interested.