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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Jul 24

Photos of my National Moth Week T-shirt, a cicada emerging, the promo for the event, a few field guides I recommend for identifying moths, and an adorable felt moth (Antheraea polyphemus) for demonstration purposes. The moth was made by CrazyEchos on Etsy (she has many moths, all adorable).

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Jul 24

I had an excellent time last night as a guest speaker at National Moth Week at a local park.

While we didn't see any moths, we did get the honor of watching this beautiful cicada emerge. The weather was beautiful and the community was out to appreciate all the bugs. ⬇️

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Reposted by Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman

Morgan M. Oberweiser @mmoberweiser.bsky.social · Jun 24

PhD position open with Dr. Jutta Schneider and @mherberstein.bsky.social in Hamburg, on sub-social behavior in crab spiders 🕷️ It even includes field work in Australia! Application deadline is 15 July, more info at the link:
www.uni-hamburg.de/en/stellenan...

A crab spider with bright yellow/green prosoma and legs and a light brown opisthosoma sits on a leaf

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Jun 23

A very cute leaf cutter bee. Testing out my new macro lens!

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Reposted by Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman

Dr Rebecca Koomen @rebeccakoomen.bsky.social · Jun 5

🎊Fully funded PhD position on cooperative sustainability🌳

Are you curious about
🧒 developmental,
🌍 cross-cultural
🦧 species comparative
research on cooperative sustainability?

All info here or dm me with questions!
career2.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/job...
Please share! 🙏

Career Opportunities: PhD position Cooperative Sustainability (14208)

career2.successfactors.eu

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Reposted by Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman

Evelyndroid's Aperture Séance and Spooky Spood-Finding 🏳️‍⚧️🕷️ @apsciencebylyn.bsky.social · Jun 11

I don't even know what to say about this guy, just drink him in 💚
(some planthopper nymph. I love him)

Pale green planthopper nymph, standing nearly upright with an extremely long snoot like a chainsaw, with orange eyes and false pupils peering

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Jun 11

I had the absolute joy to be the science consultant on this and the other two volumes of Jackson's Wilder Adventures. Out now everywhere you get books!

Need a science consultant for your next book, show, movie, etc? Let's chat!

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 29

They will stay together for days. In the literature, there's a species that was recorded hanging out like this for 79 days! Not mating the entire time, but will do so repeatedly. He's also there to keep other males away in order to insure his paternity. Completely unfazed by me handling them.

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 29

I interrupted this pair of walking sticks in the Bahamas. You can see the male hitching a ride on the much bigger female. Hello, sexual dimorphism!

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 27

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 27

ESA Mid-Atlantic conference at @longwoodgardens.bsky.social Poster presented, flowers admired.

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 23

Wow, very cool! News to me.

www.sciencenews.org/article/wet-...

Wet fingers always wrinkle in the same way

Pruney fingertips aren't swollen sponges — the wrinkles actually come from blood vessels constricting and pulling skin inward.

www.sciencenews.org

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 23

A big thank you to Bradon, of Lil Dudes Insect Academy, for having me on to chat about mosquitoes, why I think they are amazing, and the process of getting a Ph.D. Here's a link to the pod on Apple, but it's also on Spotify, YouTube and wherever you get podcasts!

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...

121. Why Mosquitoes are super cool (feat. Dr. Kelly Zimmerman)

Podcast Episode · Lil Dudes Insect Academy · 05/21/2025 · 55m

podcasts.apple.com

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 22

I had a total blast being on the wonderful podcast "Plants Always Win." Please check them out for all of your plant fun facts (and bug facts for my episode)! I'd love to come back on, any time. ❤️🌺🐝

Plants Always Win Podcast @plantsalwayswin.com · Apr 8

We cross-pollinated our gardening podcast with @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social, where an entomologist and an illustrator create bug-based superheroes. The result? Lots of laughter, a scoop of science, and a new squad of garden defenders.
www.plantsalwayswin.com/.../ep-17-pl...

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 20

I love a vintage field guide, taxonomic key, or entomological academic work!

Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 17

I love the inevitable opera of the summer bug chorus. #entomology #entomologymemes #cicadas

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 16

Their adult form is called a froghopper, named for their amazing jumping ability. Some species can really get some air, jumping 70 cm (28 in) vertically. We did an episode on spittlebugs on @bugsneedheroes.bsky.social if you're looking to learn more.

Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 16

While most plant feeders feed on the sugar rich phloem, these little guys feed on xylem. It's still sugary but the excess water allows them to excrete this foamy bubble house. Most are only 1 -2 juveniles hiding out, but the foam covers can get up to a foot long and contain about 100 little guys. ⬇️

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 16

Ah, Nature's little bubble blower, the spittlebug. Inside that frothy foam sits a juvenile or several juvenile spittlebugs (Superfamily Cercopoidea).

These tiny insects hide in “spit” to stay cool, moist, and safe from predators. More info ⬇️

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · May 16

Haha Thank you! I can't believe the attention that comment received.

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Apr 18

Dissertation defended! Doctor Zimmerman, finally! 😍🎉

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Apr 8

My friend Jenn does awesome plant embroidery in her shop Ember and Thread @emberandthread.bsky.social

Thanks to a pattern from StitchGothica.com she embroidered this beautiful set of bugs I can't wait to hang somewhere.

#entomology #embroidery

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Apr 8

This is so incredibly wholesome.

Elizabeth Harper @cadaverformosus.bsky.social · Apr 4

YOU GUYS.

A miniature train yard with working streetlights, industrial buildings in the background and parked train cars with graffiti and a train on the track, also with graffiti train cars

A close up of the previous scene with a little red car in the parking lot portion of the train yard. there’s a blue crate train car with white bubble tagging that says stash. In the background there’s a white train car with kos tagged on it with a red background

Miniature tagged train cars on a light wood display shelf.

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Apr 8

What matter as an entomologist.

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Dr. Kelly I. Zimmerman @fillsyourniche.bsky.social · Mar 30

This is part of a sentence for my dissertation "flies that utilize vertebrates as oviposition sites." I think this might be why no one wants to talk to me at parties.

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