I had such a wonderful time attending and presenting at the @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social meeting in Baltimore this past week. The idea that this is my last meeting as a grad student was bitter sweet, but I am so grateful for the opportunity.

two pages from our been book, lots of of images and a bit of text for each bee genera

cover of our Bees of Pennsylvania book with photo of green sweat bee

Our guide to bees of Pennsylvania is available for free now, you can order print copy (just have to pay shipping) and/or download PDF from Penn State Extension page: extension.psu.edu/bees-of-penn...

For every one of the 47 bee genera we have beautiful photo(s) and natural history facts

Long time no see! I’m excited to say I’ll be presenting one of my dissertation chapters at the @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social annual meeting in Baltimore. Come check it out if you want to hear about beautiful cloud forests and the bugs that are helping the ecosystem function. 🍃🐜

Top: a golden weevil clings to a green plant stem. Bottom: a metallic weevil boasting green and red colors clings to a green plant stem.

Unbeweevilbly beautiful.

close up side view of grasshopper head, bug eyes can see all the facets, lots of almost mechanical looking textures on face, yellow/brown/black colors, dark blue background

grasshoppers are beautiful and rugged plant-eating machines

cute weevil with thick snout standing on round thistle bud with bits of purple, weevil has black skin but is mostly covered in yellow scales, flower bud has a round hole chewed in it right below the weevil

canada thistle bud weevil taking a break from chewing a hole in a thistle flower bud

Coach motel (like a coach beetle)

A bee seen in profile has a shining emerald green thorax and head while the abdomen that is strikingly striped with yellow and black. The legs coming off of the thorax are also yellow and black. It has light brown wings coming off the top of the thorax. It is drinking from a bright yellow flower. This is within a cluster of similar bright yellow flowers.

Agapostemon splendens is a splendid #bee still out foraging along the Mississippi River despite the chilly autumn weather.

Side view photograph of an oddly proportioned reddish brown insect with yellow stripes standing alert on the end of a stick against a blurred natural background.

The wasp mantisfly, Climaciella brunnea, is not a wasp, a mantis, or a fly. It is instead a type of spider-eating lacewing that keeps itself safe by looking like it has a painful sting, which is does not.

Evolution continues to be marvelous. 🧪 #Entomology

I figure it’s time I introduce myself. My name is Harlee. I’m a queer, nonbinary community ecologist, and I’m getting my PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology at Kent State. My research investigates ecological gradients and their consequences on invertebrate communities and ecosystem services. 🪲