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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢
@turtleecology.bsky.social
9.3K followers 1.4K following 430 posts
Postdoctoral Fellow at Mount Allison University studying freshwater turtles. 🇨🇦 Conservation | Urban Herpetology | Endangered Turtle Research | Aquatic Ecology
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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢
njorisfleck.bsky.social
N. Joris Fleck @njorisfleck.bsky.social · 18d
+++ Hissscord🐍 NEWS +++

Our new server is live! 🐍
A free space for young and experienced herpetologists to connect, collaborate, and get quick help.

💬 DM me here on Bluesky or elsewhere for an invite to the Discord channel!

Please feel free to share and repost!

#Herpetology #SEH2025 #Hissscord
Short profile of the Discord server "Hissscord"
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 14d
I believe they are called barbels. Probably have a similar function to that of cat fish barbels?
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15d
And I just learned two cool facts about them.

Despite their appearance, the adult wasps actually drink nectar. And females can reproduce via parthenogenesis because males are rare. 🤯
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15d
A very buggy Monday! 🐛🐝
Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar on a leafy branch Pelecinid Wasp on a leaf American Dagger Moth caterpillar on a leaf Common Green Darner in a yellow leaf.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 15d
Love it!! 😍🐢 Also makes me feel sneezy. 🤧
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 16d
Sneaky Snapper! 🐢

Super exciting to see a snapper basking in the local city pond! 🌆

They have become very used to human presence.
Snapping turtle floating and basking in a pond. The pond is covered in lily pads.
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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢
jencross.bsky.social
Jen Cross @jencross.bsky.social · 17d
Oak Treehopper Mama Update!
Here she is with entire brood. They're getting big! So, why is it nice to leave some leaves around? These kids will hibernate over winter as adult females in leaf litter.
(Platycotis vittata) PA
A thin branch with a herd of small insects that have black and white stripes with red patches on their backs. As the far end, the mother treehopper watches over the youngsters. She is green with yellow spots and clear wings. There are green leaves in the background.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 26d
Not gonna lie, gars are cool! But it’s turtles for life for me. 😄
turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · 28d
Does anyone know of any workshops for Bayesian population viability analysis? Other resources are welcome too!

I am starting a new project and wanted to learn new skills!

#PopulationModelling #Bayesian #PVA
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 6
Great! I’ll add them too.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 6
Turtle alert! 🐢

Look at this Blanding’s Turtle walking all over a poor Painted Turtle. 🤭🙊😅
Blanding’s Turtle walking over Painted Turtles on a log.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 6
Woo! Ok I’ll add you too.
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Reposted by Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢
turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Jan 1
Are you a researcher/practitioner working on urban ecology and conservation? We still have space in the starter pack!
go.bsky.app/29rs45P
🌆🌇
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 5
Ooh, so cool! Just added you. 😃🐢
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 2
Hahaha this actually made me laugh. 😆
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 2
What are they looking at? 🤭🐢🐢
A Blanding’s turtle and a painted turtle basking on a log. Their heads are turned away from the camera.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 2
I know! I was so thrilled to have witnessed it.

I almost wonder if the damselfly also mistook the mantis for a blade of grass! 🤭
turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 1
I almost got a super cool shot! A damselfly on a praying mantis.
A blue damselfly landed on a praying mantis on the ground.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 1
When all the basking spots are taken, you have to float in the pondweed! 🐢
Painted Turtle floating in pondweed.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 1
It is pretty fascinating!
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 1
A beautiful sunny day to see a Blanding’s Turtle! 🐢
A Blanding’s Turtle sunning on a log.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Sep 1
They are actually super tiny. I almost didn’t see them either. Probably smaller than a rice grain.
Red-banded leafhopper on a leaf.
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Aug 31
Got these cool photographs while on a short walk around the block.

I love macrophotography! Lots to learn still though.
Close up of a reddish-pinkish flower Close up of a red-banded leafhopper. Close up of a grasshopper on a leaf stem. Close up of two butterflies on goldenrod flowers
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turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Aug 29
Hope you see them again! 😃
turtleecology.bsky.social
Tharusha Wijewardena 🐢 @turtleecology.bsky.social · Aug 28
Omg so exciting!! I have yet to see a skink in Canada 🥲
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