insects

Nature photography of a common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum) resting on a bright violet cranesbill (Geranium) flower is being shared under the German hashtag Insektensamstag, or Insect Saturday, a regular weekend theme where people post photos of insects. The image, posted with Saturday morning greetings, highlights everyday pollinators and joins a wider stream of insect, bee and wildlife photography shared by hobby naturalists.

A Thai-language technology discussion, led by developer channel 9arm, is drawing major attention to the open-sourcing of the fruit fly (drosophila) brain connectome — the complete wiring map of an insect brain. The news resonates because a fruit fly brain has been fully mapped and released as open data, letting programmers and researchers freely explore, download and build on a whole-brain biological dataset for the first time at this scale.

An Irish bee expert is sharing daily bee facts, explaining that bees have neither lungs nor a nose. Instead, air enters their bodies through small external openings called spiracles, which run along the body. A simple gas exchange system then delivers oxygen to internal tissues and expels carbon dioxide, allowing the insects to breathe without the respiratory organs found in mammals.

Scientists have described a new beetle species, Micraspis filapicis, from China, published in the journal Zootaxa. The finding is being shared among open-science and biodiversity communities, with the species' taxonomic treatment made freely accessible through Plazi and linked FAIR data resources. It is the latest in a steady stream of newly catalogued insect species announcements.

A wildlife photographer spent time outdoors hoping to photograph a swallowtail butterfly and came away with a decent shot, but says the real highlight of the day was a small gray bee, with a crab spider as a bonus find. The macro insect images have been shared with nature and photography enthusiasts, who appreciate the unexpected encounters that come with patience in wildlife photography.

A new oil painting of butterflies, titled 'Schmetterlinge I / butterfly I', has been shared with an international audience under Italian, German, Japanese and English titles. The work is presented as a DIY wall art piece, tagged alongside insect-themed art communities. It is drawing modest engagement from art and photography enthusiasts.

A writer in Oregon's coast range reports that fall is mantis season, with the season's praying mantises covering the farm where they live. Each autumn they manage at least one close photo session with one of the insects, which they describe as beautiful predators. The observation is being shared warmly among nature and wildlife enthusiasts online.

Massachusetts wildlife officials are highlighting efforts to create and protect places for bats to live, amid ongoing concerns about bat population declines from disease and habitat loss. The initiative provides roosting habitat to support local bat species, and conservationists are drawing attention to the role bats play in controlling insects and maintaining healthy ecosystems across the state.

A new art installation by Luke Jerram, called the Pollenarium, has opened beside the River Thames in London, celebrating pollinating insects. More than 100 lenses inside the structure let visitors see the outside world as insects would. The work is being shared as an unusual blend of public art and science outreach, drawing attention to the crucial role pollinators play in ecosystems and food production.

A wildlife photographer in Dongzhang Town photographed a black kite hunting: the raptor caught a flying insect, dropped it, and attempted to catch it again, a sequence the photographer managed to track through the viewfinder. The images are being shared and appreciated by nature and birdwatching enthusiasts.

Nature photographers are sharing close-up images of dragonflies as part of the German-language Insect Saturday photo tradition. The posts showcase detailed macro shots of the insects, drawing appreciative engagement from wildlife and photography enthusiasts across the fediverse and beyond.

Nature photographers are sharing close-up images of Chrysolina americana, the rosemary leaf beetle, a small iridescent green-and-purple insect commonly found on rosemary and other herbs. The striking macro shots are drawing attention from wildlife and insect photography enthusiasts, who praise the beetle's metallic colours and use the images to discuss garden insects and macro photography techniques.

The city of Beaumont, Texas has opened a new pollinator garden at Tyrrell Park. The garden is intended to support bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects, adding a conservation-focused feature to one of the city's main parks. Coverage of the opening has appeared in local news outlets serving the Beaumont area.

The Wesleyan Argus is running an 'Office Hours' feature with a Wesleyan University professor who talks through the roles of insects, plants and food webs in ecosystems. The interview-style piece breaks down how these organisms depend on one another, offering students and readers an accessible look at basic ecology and the interconnectedness of food chains.

Under the hashtag #insektenSamstag, a German-speaking nature enthusiast shared photos of an Ampfer-Wurzelbohrer (Triodia sylvina, a moth species) found on a wall near a jumping spider. The post links to the species' Wikipedia article and notes the photos look similar to each other. It is part of a recurring weekend hashtag where people share insect photography.

A photographer has shared a close-up shot of a dragonfly taken at Kanazawa Castle in Japan, tagging it with travel and photography themes. The image is drawing modest attention from photography and travel enthusiasts, who appreciate the castle grounds as a spot for capturing insects and seasonal scenery.

A new garden has been established in Beaumont, Texas, designed to support butterflies, bees and other local wildlife. The project highlights growing community interest in pollinator-friendly green spaces and urban habitats, adding to efforts in the region to protect insect populations and provide food and shelter for native species.

Photography enthusiasts are sharing butterfly images as part of the German-language tradition of Insect Saturday, a recurring hashtag event where hobby photographers post close-up shots of insects. The pictures highlight butterflies in gardens and meadows, drawing small but appreciative responses from the nature photography community and keeping weekend wildlife spotting a popular shared pastime online.

The CabotFest community festival has returned, offering food, local gatherings and its unusual cricket-spitting contest. The event brings residents together in Cabot, Arkansas, with the quirky insect-spitting competition drawing particular attention among the festival's attractions.

A gardening article is encouraging people to move beyond ornamental flower beds and turn their backyards into wildlife havens. The piece suggests that gardens designed with native plants, shelter and water can support far more birds, insects and small animals than purely decorative planting, as interest in wildlife-friendly gardening continues to grow.

A bumblebee was photographed feeding on a wild carrot flower (Bergaster) in Neukölln, Berlin. The image, shared under nature and insect photography tags, highlights urban wildlife finding habitat in the city. Observers of nature photography communities are engaging with the close-up shot of the insect at work.

A wildlife photographer who usually captures at most one insect per image reports a rare stroke of luck: a photo showing not one but two lesser purple emperors (Apatura ilia), a butterfly species they often fail to photograph at all. The image, shared under a photo suggestion thread with the theme 'numbers: two', is drawing warm reactions for its unusual double sighting.

Inktober 2026 is underway, and one French-speaking illustrator is marking the start of the annual October drawing challenge by switching themes this year. Instead of continuing with Insektober, an insect-focused variant, they are taking part in Birdtober, drawing a different bird each day. Their first piece is a lilac-breasted roller, though they admit they are starting the challenge a little late.

Nature photographers are sharing macro shots of two female banded demoiselles (Calopteryx splendens) under a photo prompt inviting images on the theme of the number two. The striking metallic damselflies, common along European streams, are the subject of posts tagged for insect and nature photography, with enthusiasts praising the detail and colour of the close-up images.