Tag Archives: publications

Open spaces: A new species of fly from the Yukon

Posted on February 5, 2016 by terry wheeler

There’s a little genus of small, rare flies that live in bird nests. They’re called Neossos, and a few years ago one of my former undergraduate students, Gregor Gilbert, pulled together what was known about the taxonomy and ecology of … Continue reading →

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Suburban biodiversity: surprising flies in the neighborhood

Posted on September 29, 2015 by terry wheeler

Christine Barrie, a grad student in the lab, found a fly she couldn’t put a name on. Other students in the lab had trouble too. So did I. It looked familiar, but it didn’t key out in the standard North … Continue reading →

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High fliers: a new paper on some new arctic flies

Posted on February 27, 2015 by terry wheeler

Many people see the arctic as a pretty barren place, with not much biological diversity. In fact, one of the most well-known patterns in ecology — the latitudinal diversity gradient — incorporates that idea. As you leave the tropics and … Continue reading →

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Who’s that fly and WHAT is it eating? A new paper from the lab

Posted on January 22, 2015 by terry wheeler

One of the most widely used products of taxonomy is the identification key. A key allows somebody who isn’t a specialist on a particular group to put a name on an unknown species. At least, that’s how it all works … Continue reading →

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Spiders with an identity crisis: a new taxonomy paper

Posted on November 12, 2014 by terry wheeler

Two wolf spiders, whose names are Pardosa lapponica and Pardosa concinna, run across open ground all over northern Canada. Here’s the problem: these two species of spiders live in a lot of the same places, and they look very similar. Katie … Continue reading →

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On biodiversity, museums and breadth

Posted on May 22, 2014 by terry wheeler

May 22 is the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD from here on in). Many people will take the opportunity today to give some thought to the richness and diversity of life on earth, as well as how much we … Continue reading →

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Natural history’s place in science and society

Posted on March 26, 2014 by terry wheeler

One of the themes that runs through many of the posts on this blog is that natural history matters, that it’s relevant, that it’s science, and that there’s still a lot we don’t know about the natural history of some … Continue reading →

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Revisionist history: new taxonomy of old flies

Posted on March 19, 2014 by terry wheeler

Taxonomy is a dynamic science. It evolves over time. We collect new specimens, we develop new tools for studying biodiversity, and our theoretical approaches to describing the diversity of life change. All of these developments mean that the names of … Continue reading →

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Two flies, one leaf: new leafminers from Costa Rica

Posted on February 9, 2014 by terry wheeler

There are many reasons why insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet One of them is herbivory. Feeding on plants opens a huge number of opportunities for insects to diversify. There are new food sources to … Continue reading →

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Look up, way up: beetles and flies in the tree tops

Posted on February 2, 2014 by terry wheeler

Most insect collectors and other insect fans tend to walk through a forest with their eyes focused on the ground at their feet, or low undergrowth, or sunny spots above the path ahead. That’s where a lot of the insects … Continue reading →

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