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Alex Wild

@alexwild.bsky.social

15K followers 2K following 7.4K posts

Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas at Austin, personal account. Biology. Insects. Photography. https://www.alexanderwild.com

www.alexanderwild.com

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Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · Jul 9

The thing about entomology is, there are always weirder bugs than anything you could imagine on your own.

Here's Cysteodemus wislizeni, a blister beetle from west Texas.

Photograph of a metallic blue/green beetle with a very spider-like body, a huge fake "abdomen" that is swollen and dented with even pits over its bulbous surface. It is otherwise ant-like, standing on a pure white stylized background.

Reposted by Alex Wild

rax ‘levon honkers’ king @raxkingisdead.bsky.social · 12h

listen. when dolly parton’s sister says it’s time for us all to be prayer warriors for dolly. you fucking pray for dolly

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 9h

True. Bitey on one end, with a sting on the other. Spicy.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 9h

Biggish, for an ant. Over a centimeter.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 9h

Thank you! But, you're probably biased.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 9h

And a side view showing the whole animal.

side view of an elongated, leggy orange-brown ant standing on a pure white background. The ant's waist petiole comes to a sharp point, the jaws are held open, and the long antennae point forward.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 9h

A textbook image I did a few years ago showing a trap-jaw ant (Odontomachus rixosus) with her mandibles held open and trigger hairs forward, and then in the closed position.

The snapping shut of the trap is one of the fastest measured animal movements.

A split-screen image showing (top) a face view of an elongated ant standing on a reflective surfave, facing us with toothy brown jaws held 180 degrees open, and (bottom), the same ant with jaws closed, the bluntly toothed tips held together.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 12h

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point organization continues its mission of using threats of violence to silence academics.

Stephen Soldz @ethicalpsycholo.bsky.social · 12h

Professor Flees to Europe After Turning Point USA Calls Him Antifa, Leading to Death Threats for Him and His Family
newrepublic.com/post/201448/...

Professor Flees to Europe After Turning Point USA Calls Him Antifa

Rutgers University professor Mark Bray no longer feels safe at home.

newrepublic.com

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 13h

This doesn’t surprise me.

Chron.com @chron.com · 13h

Despite its ongoing nationwide expansion, shoppers aren't as happy with Buc-ee's.

Buc-ee's customer satisfaction drops in new study

Despite its ongoing nationwide expansion, shoppers aren't as happy with Buc-ee's.

Reposted by Alex Wild

Ainsley S @americanbeetles.bsky.social · 14h

Okay britpol is none of my business but this attitude fills me with incandescent rage

Rachel Reeves’ words about environmental delays to a housing development: “ She described the planning blockage as being due to "some snails on the site that are a protected species or something", adding:
"They are microscopic snails that you cannot even see, and they haven't been able to build there." The chancellor appeared to be referring to the little whirlpool ramshorn snail, which is 5mm in diameter, and one of the rarest creatures in Britain. It is an indicator of clean rivers and ponds…”

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 15h

Texas sky update. #atxwx

Wide angle photo of cumulus clouds at left grading into storm clouds at right, against a bright blue sky over an urban landscape

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 20h

In theory, we could convert it to prairie. But who is going to pay for that? This government?

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 20h

It’s gonna have to be subsidized fallow, I suspect. There’s not enough seed ready to do anything else at scale.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 21h

The U.S. soy market problem is going to cause massive problems with corn in coming years, as soy is rotated in the same fields with corn to keep corn rootworm populations low.

If farms switch to corn only, we’ll see pest resurgences and increased pesticide use.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 22h

The plan in 2026 is to rig the election.

ProPublica @propublica.org · 22h

Heather Honey, a high-profile denier of Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 election, was appointed to a senior DHS position in which she’ll help oversee election security.

“DHS now appears poised to become a primary amplifier of false election conspiracies pushed by our enemies,” one expert said.

She Pushed to Overturn Trump’s Loss in the 2020 Election. Now She’ll Help Oversee U.S. Election Security.

Heather Honey has been appointed to a senior position in the Department of Homeland Security. State election officials and voting experts are concerned.

www.propublica.org

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 22h

He already defunded you, so you must be doing this shit because you want to? Weird.

Reposted by Alex Wild

Jonathan @renewableenergy.bsky.social · 22h

Huge historic turning point — Renewables surpassed coal as the world’s leading electricity source for the first half of 2025!

#greensky #energysky #renewableenergy

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

She’s from Melbourne.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

We always were going to get them citizenship. But, the last few months have been a kick in the pants to get the ball rolling.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

I have mixed feelings about countries as a concept, as once we set them up we have an exclusion machine that hurts those who fall between, through no fault of their own. Too many people don't have a country at all, in any meaningful sense.

But my family somehow has two. Considerable priviledge.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

And some good news. The kids are officially Australian citizens! Only took a couple months.

This is such a relief, things being what they are.

Reposted by Alex Wild

AirBase @airbase.bsky.social · 1d

Dallas, Austin, San Antonio

Ryan Teague Beckwith @ryanbeckwith.bsky.social · 1d

Editor in chief, city editor, features editor

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

Look at it go.

Image of the moon, with a yellow hue, filling most of the frame. Craters and other details are visible.

Image of a full moon amid wispy clouds, above the silhouette of some trees.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

Heard there was a supermoon, so I’m going outside to watch it fight crime.

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

“Trophallaxis” by Taylor Swift almost writes itself

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · 1d

It’d be better if there were more songs about ants.