New review paper out now from a former MSc student.
Daniel did his literature review with us and did such a nice job it is now published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry!
News
New paper out in Science
Our paper is now out in Science, and we made the cover!
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr7368
I was lucky enough to be part of this global team that looked at how predator community, prey community, and visual environment influenced the predation risk of cryptic and warningly-coloured model moths.
We found that aposematic strategies fare better in environments with low predation intensity, whereas camouflage strategies are advantaged when other camouflaged prey species are rare and when light levels are low.
This is the sort of research this is impossible without strong global networks of collaboration. Team science at its best!
Postdoc position available in my group
I have an opening available for a postdoc to work on decision making in birds. The position is for 14 months and would involve working in Finland. Ideally looking for someone who can start very soon.
Please take a look at the job add below.
https://werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies/postdoc-position-in-decision-making-in-birds-netherlands-14433
Behaviour2025
I had a great time at Behaviour 2025. I was upgraded to a talk but I attach my original poster below for anyone interested in the effect of urbanization on warning signals.
New paper out now!
The final chapter of Cristina’s PhD is out now in Functional Ecology!
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2435.70122
In it we set out to test how resource availability shapes the relationship between colour and chemical defense in the wood tiger moth. We found that – counter to our predictions – honest signalling was only present when moths were reared on a high protein diet.
Entomologendag 2024
Entomologendag was a nice way to round off the year. I spoke about the effect of urbanisation on warning signals, Jiajia and Hannah presented beautiful posters. Hannah also continued the proud IBED tradition by winning the poster prize!
Hannah talks about the effects of light pollution
Folia made a nice video on the night walk Hannah recently gave.
New paper from Chiara!
Chiara’s final(?) thesis chapter is now published in the Journal of Animal ecology! In it she shows that female attractivness may play a role in maintaining the genes for male colour polymorphism in the population.
Check it out here:
Morph-linked variation in female pheromone signalling and male response in a polymorphic moth
Interspecies performance book out now!
A couple of years ago I worked with Agat Sharma and Julia van der Putten to try and use live moths in a theater piece. It was not an unparalleled success, but it did inspire a chapter in this new book on interspecies performance!
Another paper out from Cristina’s thesis
You can read the paper here: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/227/3/jeb245946/343001/Diet-influences-resource-allocation-in-chemical
And an ECR spotlight with Cris here: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/227/3/jeb247280/343007/ECR-Spotlight-Cristina-Ottocento
Insect Chemical and Evolutionary Ecology 