BiocommETH

Wow 🤩 We didn’t expect this! 🎊 Insects360 was a small project in a niche field, and we thought it might stay within English and German-speaking circles. But somehow, it reached people in 107 countries, and new visitors keep coming every week. We’ve also just updated the website. There’s now a dedicated 3D scans page with over 50 insect models you can explore in detail 🐜 🐝 🦋 • The link to our 3D scans page is online! If you want to see your insect’s 3D model, send us a message! Maybe we can collaborate 🤓 Thanks for following along. It’s been quite a ride! • • • #scicomm #entomology #entomologyhumor #entomologyart #entomologie #insectmodel #3dscan #3dscanning #ethzurich #zurich #entomologycollection #insectlovers

🐝✨ Although honeybees can’t buzz-pollinate, in Greece, they seem to have found a workaround. We documented honeybees consistently foraging on Solanum elaeagnifolium, a buzz-pollinated, nectarless (and VERY invasive) weed, in the wild. 💪 The bees spent extraordinary effort and time on each flower, which is far beyond their typical behaviour. Why?? Likely due to pollen scarcity during the dry Mediterranean summer—a surprising example of behavioral plasticity that could reshape pollination dynamics and boost the success of invasive plants. 🔍 Read the full story: /content/10.1101/2025.05.13.648936v2 📍 Study location: Thessaloniki, Greece Photos: Rupesh R. Kariyat Article on buzz-pollination: https://shorturl.at/KsZNY #Honeybees #BuzzPollination #PollinationEcology #InvasiveSpecies #BehavioralEcology #ClimateChangeBiology #MediterraneanEcology #FieldworkFinds #Preprint #Solanaceae #ScienceCommunication

While World Bee Day is officially celebrated on May 20, in our lab, every day is Bee Day! 🐝 • A big thank you to @sciencemagazine for highlighting our 2020 Science publication. Since then, bumble bees have continued to amaze us with their complexity and behavior. Our team remains dedicated to uncovering the secrets of these fuzzy, tireless workers. 🐝 • The link to the mentioned paper is in bio 🔗 • Happy (belated) Bee Day to all! • • • #bee #beeday #bumblebee #bumblebees #entomology #biology #sciencefacts #beesofinstagram🐝 #entomologia #entomologist #beesareimportant #animalbehavior #switzerland

3D Thursday everyone! Today we have an aquatic insect: a water scorpion species Nepa cinerea! 🦂 This animal lives in ponds, small rivers, and still water, where it feeds mainly on insects and other small aquatic arthropods. 🤤 As an adult, it breathes using a special tube at the end of its body. By lifting the tip of this tube above the water surface, it can pull in air to breathe. 🤿 Have you seen one before? Here is the classification: Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom:Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hemiptera Family: Nepidae Genus: Nepa Species: N. cinerea All our 3D models are accesible on our website. The link is on our bio! #3Dmodelingart #scientificmodel #3Dvisualization #3Dscience #3Dnaturemodels #waterscorpion #aquaticinsects #insectsofthewater #waterinsects #nepantidae #insectlovers #insectphotography📸 #arthropodsoftheworld #bugsoftheworld #insectworld #pondlifeexplorer #naturemicroworld #wildlifediscovery #natureobservation #hiddenbiodiversity #natureeducation #sciencecommunication #biodiversitymatters #microecosystems #scientificoutreach

Happy 3D Thursday everyone! We keep displaying our beautiful insect models on our website. Today’s menu has the spurge hawk-moth caterpillar (Celerio euphorbiae). • Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: #Lepidoptera Family: #Sphingidae Genus: Celerio Species: C. euphorbiae • To see all our 3D models, check out the link on our bio! — Wolfsmilchschwärmer (Celerio euphorbiae) • Systematik Reich: #Tiere (Animalia) Stamm: #Gliederfüsser (Arthropoda) Klasse: #Insekten (Insecta) Ordnung: #Schmetterlinge Lepidoptera Familie: Sphingidae Gattung: Celerio Art: C. euphorbiae • Um alle unsere 3D-Modelle zu sehen, schau dir den Link in unserer Bio an! • #Insekten #Insektenliebe #Insektenwelt #Insektenfotografie #Entomologie #Insektenforscher #Wildbienen #Artenvielfalt #Makrofotografie #Naturbeobachtung

📣 ‼️ As the Insects360 Team, we are thrilled to announce the winners of our drawing competition! 🔔 • We invited young artists to draw insects — either realistic or fantastical — and were truly mesmerized by their creativity, imagination, and passion for the natural world. It has been inspiring to see how deeply insects captured their curiosity! 🙂 • A special thank you to Heather Andrews (@entowhimsy ) for selecting the winning entries. You can view the top three highest-ranked drawings from each category, along with the artists’ own explanations, on our website (link in bio 🔗) • Congratulations to all the talented participants, and thank you for celebrating the beauty of insects with us! 🐜 🐝 🩵 Winners (Fantastic drawings) 1st Prize: “Der Funkelnde Nachtwanderer” by Lemar 2nd Prize: “Düsenantrieb Super Ameise” by Levi 3rd Prize: “Supermeise” by Marius 🩵 Winners (Realistic drawings) 1st Prize: “The Panda Ant” by Federico 2nd Prize: “Blue Butterfly” by Mario. 3rd Prize: “Trilobite beetle” by Mato

🚨Insects360 photography competition results are in! 📸 🐜 • “The snoots and boots that stole my heart” by Emilia (@emiliafoerster ) has been selected as the winning entry in the Insects360 photography competition and will be awarded with an amazing illustration book by Armin Coray! • We would like to thank all the participants for their amazing submissions and also our judge, the celebrated insect portraitist Thorben Danke (@sagaoptics ) who reviewed all submissions and selected the winning photo 🥇 • You can find all submissions on our website under Competitions section. The link is on bio! 🔗 • • • #insectphoto #insectphotography #insecte #insects #insectphotography🐝📷 #photographycompetition #competition #insekten #insektenfotografie

Well well well… Fifty 3D models are ready! (49 insects and one surprise spider!) 🕷️ • Check out the link on our bio to access the models and use them in your presentations if you wish (appreciate the BiocommETH credit!) • If you are curious about the method or want to collaborate with us, drop a comment or send a message! • Have a lovely Sunday y’all! ☀️ • • • #insekten #insects #entomology #3dmodel #insectphotography #insectguru #insectphoto #insectphotos #insectsarecool #insectsofinstagram #insectsworld #insectes #insectart #3dmodelle #3dmodelleme #3boyut #insektenfotografie #insektenschutz

Meet Dr. Jérémy Gonthier, @jere_9 , and read two captivating articles he provided for our website! He grew up in the Swiss countryside of Fribourg, where he developed an interest in nature and agriculture. He studied Biology and Environment at the University of Fribourg, followed by a Master’s in Ecology & Evolution at the University of Bern. His PhD in agroecology at Agroscope focused on biological control strategies against the invasive tomato leafminer, combining lab experiments, field trials, and predictive modeling. His enthusiasm for travel and international collaboration has led him to work in diverse environments, including the USA, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.  After completing his PhD, he worked as an R&D project leader at Andermatt Biocontrol Swiss, developing microbial biocontrol solutions and bridging research with practical applications. The links to Jérémy’s page is on our bio. 🔗 • • • #ecology #scientist #switzerland #science #scicomm #agriculture #entomology #pestmanagement #entomología

Happy 3D Thursday everyone! We keep displaying our beautiful insect models on our website. Today’s menu has a hoverfly species (Temnostoma vespiforme) Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: #Diptera Family: Syrphidae Genus: Temnostoma Species: T. vespiforme To see all our 3D models, check out the link on our bio! — Wespen-Moderholzschwebfliege (Temnostoma vespiforme) Systematik Reich: #Tiere (Animalia) Stamm: #Gliederfüsser (Arthropoda) Klasse: #Insekten (Insecta) Ordnung: #Zweiflügler (Diptera) Familie: Schwebfliegen Gattung: Temnostoma Art: T. vespiforme Um alle unsere 3D-Modelle zu sehen, schau dir den Link in unserer Bio an! #Insekten #Insektenliebe #Insektenwelt #Insektenfotografie #Entomologie #Insektenforscher #Käferliebe #Schmetterlinge #Wildbienen #Artenvielfalt #Makrofotografie #Naturbeobachtung #3d #3dmodel #switzerland #ethzurich

The effaced round sand beetle (Omophron obliteratum) (Deutsche Version siehe unten) 🇩🇪 ⬇️ • Classification Kingdom: #Animalia Phylum: #Arthropoda Class: #Insecta Order: #Coleoptera Family: #Carabidae Genus: #Omophron Species: O. obliteratum • To see all our 3D models, check out the link on our bio! 🔗 — Omophron obliteratum • Systematik Reich: #Tiere (Animalia) Stamm: #Gliederfüsser (Arthropoda) Klasse: #Insekten (Insecta) Ordnung: #Käfer (Coleoptera) Familie: #Laufkäfer (Carabidae) Gattung: Omophron Art: O. obliteratum • Um alle unsere 3D-Modelle zu sehen, schau dir den Link in unserer Bio an! 🔗 • #Insekten #Insektenliebe #Insektenwelt #Insektenfotografie #Entomologie #Insektenforscher #Käferliebe #Schmetterlinge #Wildbienen #Artenvielfalt #Makrofotografie #Naturbeobachtung

Blow flies: The gold standard in forensic entomology 🪰 • Blow flies are among the first insects to colonize a body, often arriving within minutes under the right conditions. This is due to their necrophagous behavior – feeding on decomposing animal biomass. To produce eggs, females require a protein source, and their advanced olfactory system is finely tuned to the scent of decay. 🤢 🪰 At a crime scene, they typically target facial orifices (ears, nose, mouth, and eyes), due to the soft and moist tissue, and protected areas like the hairline and parts of the body in contact with a surface. Once eggs are laid, the “clock” starts ticking as larvae hatch and develop, feeding on the decomposing material. Thanks to extensive research on blow flies, scientists can estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (time that has passed since death) based on the larval development with remarkable accuracy. 🪰 To learn more about how blow flies help us solve crimes, click on the Crime Scene Insects article link on our bio 🔗 • Image: Adobe Stock • • • #entomology #forensicentomology #forensic #forensics #blowflies #luciliacaesar #science #sciencefacts #flies #insekten #insectsareawesome #insectsworld #insecte #insectphoto #scicomm #popularscience