#Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

I'm still fussing with it here and there, but

Here is the official cover reveal for my upcoming book, THE CICADAS OF NORTH AMERICA!

Preorders are available NOW at www.OwlflyLLC.com/publications !!!

#cicada #book #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

This is the genus Uhleroides - the Harlequin Cicadas. This genus is restricted to the Caribbean and includes some of the most colorful bugs I've ever studied. They sing with adorable little raspy squeaks.

I am proud to be one of only 5 entomologists to ever study this genus in depth, and to be the first one this century. Studying obscure species is extremely challenging, but it comes with its perks. For example, I was able to find two Uhleroides species hidden in community science observations that are completely new to science! You can look forward to reading all about them in my upcoming book The Cicadas of North America.

[previous cicada book update] [more Owlfly books]

#Uhleroides #cicada #book #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

Call for Public Participation

As many of you know, my company – Owlfly LLC – is working to develop a new kind of thermal insulation for buildings inspired by the way wasps construct their nests. Our insulation product (which we’ve appropriately named YellowJacket) is certified as more efficient than nearly all commercially-available fiberglass insulation, and we’re creating better prototypes every month. Last year the US government took interest in our work and awarded us SBIR grant funding for further R&D.

As part of the grant, we are required to conduct 30 interviews of potential customers. The idea is to gather information so we can fit our product to the market as best as we can prior to launch.

If you are an HVAC contractor, architect, engineer, distributor, or homeowner, we want to hear from you! Please contact me if you would like to participate in a brief interview. Every piece of feedback helps us forge the future of insulation technology!

#sustainability #insulation #Owlfly LLC #YellowJacket #:o

[humanbyweight]

Give the gift of hundreds of wasps this year with the Owlfly Holiday Sale! Books are 30% off with the coupon code HIBERNATE, now through December 31st.

#Owlfly LLC #wasp #book #:o

[humanbyweight]

Over the next 100 days, I am going to attempt to paint 100 cicadas.

100 CICADAS IN 100 DAYS LET'S HECKING GOOOOOO

#bad ideas #cicada #my shtuf #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

This is the genus Cacama, the “Cactus-Dodgers”. This one took me a while, since it’s full of species that look almost but not quite identical. 

162 species down, 221 to go!

[previous cicada book update]

[more Owlfly books]

#cacama #cicada #book #drawings #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

This is the second-most-diverse genus of cicadas in North America: Okanagana, the Synchronous Cicadas.

Synchronous Cicadas are protoperiodical, which means their nymphs need a minimum of 3 years and about 46 cumulative inches of rain to emerge [source], with typical lifespans ranging between 3 and 9 years. Because their emergences depend on the weather, broods of Synchronous Cicada are much less predictable than the broods of true Periodical Cicadas. But I would argue that makes them even more mathematically fascinating!

[previous cicada book update] [more Owlfly books]

#Okanagana #cicada #book #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

I helped write an open-source textbook for Penn State and it was PUBLISHED TODAY!!! If you’ve ever thought, in passing, “Gee, I wish I knew more about the hardcore taxonomic science of critically understudied insects”, this is the book for you!

I wrote the chapter on Vespoidea (pgs. 384-406).

Visit the link below to access the textbook for free! https://scholarsphere.psu.edu/resources/a0edbed3-a28f-4212-a8bc-7742851ecbd4

#wasp #book #free stuff! #Penn State #Owlfly LLC #:o

[humanbyweight]

I will be giving a FREE introductory-level virtual wasp presentation on JAN 16 2023 at 8:00 PM EST for the Washington Crossing Audubon Society. All are welcome to attend!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Note: This is different from the WaspID course, which is an in-depth exploration of Hymenopteran taxonomy, has an admission fee, and has already closed registration. Rest assured I will be giving a lecture for that too!

#wasp #entomology #audubon #Owlfly LLC #free stuff! #:o #my self

[humanbyweight]

A compilation of LOTS of lovely people saying nice things about my book! 🥰

Order your copy today!

#twitterlog #wasp #book #:o #Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

Psst...

Preorders for my cicada book soft-launched today. I'm going to wait to make formal advertisements and announcements until I finalize the book cover (likely early next month), but if you want to stake your claim on a copy early, now's your chance!

#cicada #book #Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

I helped my friend Emilio write a paper about venomous caterpillars in the United States. A field identification guide to Megalopygidae is provided in the appendix. 🦋

You can read it here for free!

#moth #venomous #Megalopygidae #Megalopyge #Norape #Trosia #Owlfly LLC #Emilio

[humanbyweight]

#twitterlog #cicada #book #drawings #:o #Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

This is the genus Clidophleps - the American Rattlers. They're the only cicadas in the Americas that create sounds using both tymbals [1] and stridulations [2]. It's wild how evolution keeps inventing new ways for cicadas to sing!

[1] A tymbal is a special acoustic organ that is unique to cicadas. [2] Stridulations are noises created by rubbing two surfaces together, in this case their wings.

[previous cicada book update] [more Owlfly books]

#Clidophleps #cicada #book #Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

I want to share a few pieces of feedback from my copyeditors about my upcoming cicada book:

"I still haven't managed to read through [the preface] once without tearing up a little"

"Do you ever sleep??? <:)"

#cicada #book #Owlfly LLC

[humanbyweight]

HOW TO PAINT A CICADA

By Chris Alice Kratzer

My program of choice is Clip Studio Paint. I might make a full video walkthrough of my process at some point. Let me know if you’re interested in comments!

[Click here to view more books from Owlfly Publishing]

#cicada #drawings #book #art #Owlfly LLC #Selymbria cinctifera #:o