Author | Lightnews

Michael Palmer

@cosmopterix.bsky.social

300 followers 280 following 370 posts

Retired botanist but doing #entomology on a wildfire impacted landscape in Oregon. INaturalist Ambassador. INaturalist handle @cosmopterix

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 12h

*cored

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 12h

I quartered and cired them, boiled them in 1:1 sugar water until syrup tasted good, drained off syrup, cut into ~1cm cubes, and dehydrated them on fruit leather sheets.

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 15h

The other half is coming out of the wall in the adjoining room

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 15h

Thanks! We are always trying to find a use for ours, beyond quince syrup. This year we are lightly candying and dehydrating some in hopes they can be a citron substitute for fruit cake

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 16h

Do you wait until the quince turns fully yellow?

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 1d

I have been really finding Discord useful for niche science stuff.

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 2d

6-7 days is peak, to my taste

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 4d

Or, “we hire ecologists so that they can teach intro courses”

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 6d

I won't be attending the Entomological Society Meeting in Portland, but I might drive up for a day to bring bugs to several people (if the cost of driving is < postage). If any of you can use insects in EtOH from Oregon, and which I might have (see www.inaturalist.org/projects/mck...) let me know!

McKenzie Valley Bug Lab

McKenzie Valley Bug Lab organisms. Please contact me to join the lab's Discord Server! Let me know whether you would like to visit, collect, stay, or search for particular taxa.

www.inaturalist.org

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 6d

Blackflies are more colorful than the vernacular name implies. www.inaturalist.org/observations...
#bugsky #diptera #insects

Common Blackflies (Genus Simulium)

Common Blackflies from Lane County, OR, USA on October 28, 2025 at 05:04 PM by Mike Palmer. visiting parsley flwoers. 8776

www.inaturalist.org

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 6d

I have quite a few semi double fuchsias. They don’t look like the single fuchsias though.

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 7d

Diptera: hold my beer

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 10d

With no complaints from the rest of us

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 14d

Ok, thanks! We just picked the last of our jalapeños and am eager to get started.

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 14d

torymids excel in structural colors. #wasps #bugsky
www.inaturalist.org/observations...

Subfamily Toryminae

Toryminae from Lane County, OR, USA on October 19, 2025 at 04:40 PM by Mike Palmer. Caught in red wine trap near intermittent stream. 8759

www.inaturalist.org

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 14d

The annual home invasion begins!
#coleoptera I particularly like the vernacular name “halloween beetle”
Because that’s when they start appearing by the thousands

Multicolor lady beetles congregate in corner

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 14d

How long do you ferment prior to making salsa?

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 16d

#fermentation
One of my favorite and well used kitchen gadgets is this inherited antique cabbage mandolin for sauerkraut

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 16d

The parallel parking was so full that by the end, there was parking for ten ants only

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 18d

“Many have deemed”
can be shortened to “is”

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 19d

Thank you!

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 19d

Thanks! Although I am in the land of dense leaf litter, our land was so highly burnt that we have very little above our mineral soil now.

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 19d

A picture of some dirt. Litter Critter Getters, does anyone have any experience with flotation extraction of soil arthropods that doesn’t use centrifuges or chemicals harsher than epsom salts and soap? I am interested in expanding my limited repertoire of techniques.

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Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 19d

My spider senses are tingling

Michael Palmer @cosmopterix.bsky.social · 19d

Ok, thanks! It looks like you have early successes, and good luck with further development!