GrrlScientist is an evolutionary biologist, ornithologist, aviculturist, birder and freelance science and nature writer. A native of the Pacific Northwest, she relocated from Seattle to NYC with her parrots after earning a BS in Microbiology (emphasis in Virology) and PhD in Zoology (Ornithology) from the University of Washington. In NYC, she was the Chapman Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Museum of Natural History for two years, pursuing part of her "dream" research project by reconstructing a molecular phylogeny of the parrots of the South Pacific islands. GrrlScientist and her five parrots are currently relocating to Germany, where she will continue writing her blog while also writing a book and learning German. (Meanwhile, her parrots will continue to nibble on her extensive personal library.) If you appreciate GrrlScientist's writing, you can help pay her living expenses by hiring her to "blog" your conference, speak at your club or write articles for your publication (or by clicking on the Paypal button below). If you read an essay on this blog that you especially enjoyed, please nominate it for inclusion in 
tags: Tvärminne, zoological field research station, Finland, nature
Hornet Moth, Sesia apiformis: Hymenopteran biomimic.
Tvärminnen eläintieteellinen asema
(Tvärminne Zoological field research station) in southwestern Finland.
[read more about it: English :: Suomeksi :: På Svenska]
Image: Bob O'Hara, 15 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
This insect is sitting on my camera (to give you a sense of size). I would happily share all my gorgeous photographs with you (several of which were stunning), but my camera batteries died while I was photographing and didn't save roughly 100 images, including 35 pictures I took of this creature. (Grrrrrrrr!)
Another look at that Hymenopteran biomimic (moth).
Tvärminnen eläintieteellinen asema
(Tvärminne Zoological field research station) in southwestern Finland.
[read more about it: English :: Suomeksi :: På Svenska]
Image: Bob O'Hara, 15 July 2009 [larger view]. (raw image)
There's some problems with Nature Networks' code properly displaying embedded videos, so I'll give it a try here;
Video by Bob O'Hara, commentary provided by Mike and Johan, and the perch (camera) provided by me.
Life Science
Education
Comments
Aww, such a pity your batteries ran down. :( I have 2 batteries which works fine for me because I never do anything serious these days. I have 2 extra memory cards too but I think I need 1 or 2 more.
For rabid photographers I'd recommend 1 or 2 spare batteries and a roll-up solar panel with a charger for the batteries. (Says the lazy guy who doesn't even carry his tripod around these days then whines about not having a good tripod when one is needed.)
Back in the bad old days when I did somewhat serious work I even had a satchel with a fairly hefty sealed lead-acid battery for very fast cycling on my flash. If you don't want to carry a solar panel around, such a battery offers another option for powering the camera charger in the field. Alternatively (for the really rabid), alter the camera to plug into a lead-acid battery (requires some extra electronics).
Posted by: MadScientist | July 15, 2009 6:25 AM
Waitasec -- you lost photos because your battery ran down? Whatever happened to non-volatile memory?
Posted by: David Harmon | July 16, 2009 10:44 PM
"Science camp"? I hope there's no drinking going on over there!
Posted by: windy | July 17, 2009 5:02 PM