A photograph of a velvet worm: a segmented, soft-bodied animal, with beautiful patterning which looks like it has been rolled in orange and blue sequins.
A photograph of a giant springtail: an invertebrate with a soft blue body covered in long yellow soft spines.
Some exciting life news... I am now a lecturer in Entomology and Ecology at Lincoln University in NZ!
We took the Entomology students on a fieldtrip over the weekend, and saw some of my favourite invertebrates: Velvet worms and giant springtails! Always a treat to see these!
#SoilBiodiversity π§ͺ
02.03.2026 08:00
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A photograph of a very long and thick pink earthworm being held aloft by a gloved hand, against a lush forest background.
If you go down to the woods today, you might see a GIANT EARTHWORM! πͺ±
In New Zealand itβs fieldwork time for the second round of @soilbon.bsky.social, and some incredible native earthworms turned up yesterday during soil sampling!
#SoilBiodiversity #WormWednesday @barnesecodiv.bsky.social π§ͺ
25.02.2026 17:12
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A photograph of a hard-bodied mite, covered in long, spiky bristles.
"We have such mites to show you"
Today is the last day to vote in the 2026 Bug of the Year contest!
Vote now for the Hellraiser Mite: bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
P.S. There is also a giant earthworm worthy of your love (you get 3 votes) πͺ±
#BugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2026 π§ͺ
15.02.2026 23:27
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Jeremy Brett remains the ultimate portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, just wonderful!
15.02.2026 00:50
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Soil Critters: Illuminating a Hidden World
Have you visited Frank Ashwood's website? We are obsessed with these photos! ππhttps://www.frankashwood.com/macrophotography @frankashwood.bsky.social
Can you ID this species in the comments?
Send us your own photos to feature in our newsletter.
13.02.2026 08:30
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A cartoon by Toby Morris showing pink-haired scientist Siouxsie Wiles standing with her right arm extended, holding a very long pink worm that reaches almost to her boots. It is accompanied by the words Vote noke waiuu, the North Island worm for Bug of the Year bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
For the next couple of weeks, I'm championing noke waiΕ«, the North Auckland Worm, for the Bug of the Year competition. Thanks to Toby Morris for this great little cartoon, which shows one reason I think you should give it your vote: it can grow up to 1.4 metres long!
04.02.2026 07:14
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A photo of a computer monitor with the title page of a book, entitled 'the world beneath our feet' by Frank Ashwood. In front of the monitor is my hand, holding a mug with images of many hard-bodied oribatid mites on it.
Today is my final day of book writing, then it's off for copyediting and out of my hands!
It's been a true labour of love, and I'm feeling bittersweet. How better to cross the finish line than with coffee in this mite-y good mug by @fminifera.bsky.social
#SoilBiodiversity #TheWorldBeneathOurFeet π§ͺ
29.01.2026 20:14
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Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42 and post the second sentence.
This is from my own book, as I nervously make final edits before the imminent copyediting deadline:
"The trigonotarbid is distractedly devouring its prey, unaware that it too is being hunted."
21.01.2026 19:44
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Soil biodiversity is a key driver of ecosystem function, including nutrient cycling, organic-matter decomposition, plant productivity, climate regulation and pathogen control (with subsequent effects on animal, human and plant health). A foundational review in 2014 described the functional role of soil biodiversity in ecosystems, but our understanding of the relationship between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has deepened over the past decade. In this Review, we highlight progress in the field, discuss the approaches and methodological advances that have enabled this progress, and identify emerging research questions. Although the spatiotemporal patterns and community dynamics of soil communities are becoming well understood, topics with important knowledge gaps include the climate feedback effects of soils, the ecology of urban soils and the development of soil health indicators. Global collaborative networks, linking existing databases, and monitoring soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are important ways to address these knowledge gaps. By considering the relationships between soil biodiversity and ecosystem functioning we can connect small-scale interactions among plants, microorganisms and animals to ecosystem services and planetary sustainability.
New paper with many smart people, led by Nico Eisenhauer & Marie SΓΌnemann @eisenhauerlab.bsky.social, surveying the state of literature on the effects of soil biodiversity on ecosystem functioning
www.nature.com/articles/s44...
12.01.2026 15:07
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I forgot the important part: the coin has a diameter of diameter of 23 mm π
13.01.2026 02:04
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Here's a photo I took of a veteran adult Holacanthella duospinosa on a one (NZ) dollar coin for scale. I've never seen one that is 17 mm size personally, I think that's the record rather than the norm.
13.01.2026 02:03
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Entoblock step
An improved pinning block for entomological collections.
It has five steps at different heights for quick and accurate label setting. The steps are visible from both sides, making it suitable for lef...
Steven Hammer, one of our regular collection users, co-developed a new #insect pinning block, with staff and volunteers from the museum.
Itβs 3D-printed and open source, so you can try it for yourself:
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/...
#ECN2025
09.11.2025 20:24
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A photograph of a round-bodied mite, with many long spines projecting from all over its body.
Has world news got you thinking an eternity with Pinhead and the Cenobites actually sounds quite pleasant?
Then why not go support the Hellraiser mite in this year's NZ Bug of The Year competition! You get 3 votes, and there's also a GIANT earthworm... π§ͺπͺ±
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
11.01.2026 05:51
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With less than a month left to finish my book edits, I felt this post on a molecular level.
09.01.2026 03:50
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I asked the illustrator to add as many soil invertebrates from the book as possible π
06.01.2026 09:07
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Bless you for thinking there's a plan.
04.01.2026 01:04
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Oh my glob, this is wonderful. I suspect many science authors might start sending you their books, asking for this treatment - I know I'm tempted to!
04.01.2026 01:02
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Assuming itβs feeding on the ant beneath it, that is!
02.01.2026 17:30
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Could it be a minute pirate bug (Anthocoridae) maybe? They resemble Mirids but only have two ocelli as adults, can you see if thatβs the case in your images? Lovely photo!
02.01.2026 17:28
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π
31.12.2025 01:38
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A photograph of a book manuscript on a table with a pencil resting on it, and shelves of books in the background. The manuscript is entitled βThe World Beneath Our Feetβ and is written by Frank Ashwood.
Only one month left to finish my edits, and then the book is off for copy editing and out of my handsβ¦ if I fall off the radar over the next few weeks, this is why! π§ͺ
The US publication date has been announced as 1st Sep '26, available for preorder here: www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/779567...
30.12.2025 21:32
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A photograph of a blue velvet worm, wearing a red and white santa-style hat.
Wishing everyone a very happy holiday. May the festive velvet worm crawl into all of your houses tonight and boop your sleeping snoots with its many adorable feet, as is tradition.
A sincere thanks for all the support throughout this year. I'm looking forward to my new book hit the shelves in 2026!
24.12.2025 04:02
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Youβre welcome!
21.12.2025 08:29
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πͺ± π’ Great news! The abstract submission deadline for ISEE13 has been extended - now January 31st, 2026.
You can enjoy relaxed holidays πβ¨ and return in the new year with fresh energy and even more enthusiasm for earthworms πͺ±.
We look forward to your contributions!
event.wur.nl/isee13/home-...
15.12.2025 10:56
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Oh you should have! Maybe for the next edition?
This looks great, I really need to start playing D&D again!
13.12.2025 09:00
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A photograph of a small arachnid with a hardened, segmented body and a pointed head, walking on the surface of a decaying log.
Mite harvesters (Cyphophthalmi) are super interesting from a biogeography perspective - the six families have distributions which reflect plate tectonics of ancient landmasses.
The family here in New Zealand can be traced to Gondwana breaking from Laurasia some 200ish MYA!
#TheWorldBeneatOurFeet π§ͺ
13.12.2025 07:40
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