Handwritten specimen label dated August 2 1893

One of the oldest specimens encountered in my Ripiphorus loans. This came from the American Museum of Natural History.

@travismcenery.bsky.social what’s your favorite of those 41? And when’s your next video coming out? Cheers!

I’m up to 49 in my New Mexico house and garden after finding a Amaurobiidae (or similar) under a rock last week.

10 male wedge shaped beetles glued to points and arranged in wheels of 5 specimens across two pins

Poor practice or an innovative way to save pins? 70 year old series of male Ripiphorus diadasiae/sexdens (I have to look closer) from Southern California (Ripiphoridae, Coleoptera).

A piece of recently disturbed weed fabric penetrated by roots of side oats grama grass

Weed fabric - bad for ground nesting bees and wasps, bad for soil health, and doesn’t stop plant roots. Just say no!

Looks like it

Thanks Rupert!

Thanks Cat!

Yes! Most of the known hosts are native, ground nesting bees like Diadasia and Halictus.

Black and orange wedge shaped beetle resting on flower bud

Kicking off my bluesky account with this female Ripiphorus near Belen, New Mexico (Coleoptera, Ripiphoridae)