Rachel Mitchell
@funeco.bsky.social
Plant ecologist at University of Arizona, professor, plant and pet lover, parent, baker. Expect ecology, pet, plant, and baking content.
Just in case you ever forget that #rejectionistherule this was the ranking on a grant declined yesterday by the NSF.
September 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Just in case you ever forget that #rejectionistherule this was the ranking on a grant declined yesterday by the NSF.
#terriertuesday #outoffocus Midge says "smile!"
July 8, 2025 at 3:38 AM
#terriertuesday #outoffocus Midge says "smile!"
Check out it's black-bellied cousin, the Kaibab squirrel!
June 30, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Check out it's black-bellied cousin, the Kaibab squirrel!
Taught Fire Ecology for the first time this past semester. Just checked my course reviews: my work here is done.
June 24, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Taught Fire Ecology for the first time this past semester. Just checked my course reviews: my work here is done.
Post an insect that looks like it's generated by AI, but isn't!
I found one of these in my yard for the first time ever after being an Arizona resident for 30 years. Giant mesquite bug (5th instar; Thasus neocalifornicus)
Glamor shot vs the one in my yard. #inverts
I found one of these in my yard for the first time ever after being an Arizona resident for 30 years. Giant mesquite bug (5th instar; Thasus neocalifornicus)
Glamor shot vs the one in my yard. #inverts
June 18, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Post an insect that looks like it's generated by AI, but isn't!
I found one of these in my yard for the first time ever after being an Arizona resident for 30 years. Giant mesquite bug (5th instar; Thasus neocalifornicus)
Glamor shot vs the one in my yard. #inverts
I found one of these in my yard for the first time ever after being an Arizona resident for 30 years. Giant mesquite bug (5th instar; Thasus neocalifornicus)
Glamor shot vs the one in my yard. #inverts
#terriertuesday #terriertuned Midge's theme song is Donna Summer's "Bad Girl", deployed liberally when she is chewing something she stole underneath a bed
June 17, 2025 at 4:26 PM
#terriertuesday #terriertuned Midge's theme song is Donna Summer's "Bad Girl", deployed liberally when she is chewing something she stole underneath a bed
Smart, snuggly, with jaws like a hyena. I've had dogs for 24 years and I will never have another breed after having a border. Midge, murderer of lizards.
June 17, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Smart, snuggly, with jaws like a hyena. I've had dogs for 24 years and I will never have another breed after having a border. Midge, murderer of lizards.
June 15, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Sprocket; leopard gecko lady, Aged 12-13.
June 1, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Sprocket; leopard gecko lady, Aged 12-13.
I asked Gemini to create conceptual diagram of ecological adaptive plasticity. Anyone who is relying/heavily leaning on this better comb through the slop they get. And "get used to it", as the newest, most costly and wasteful versions apparently hallucinate the most!
May 12, 2025 at 10:12 PM
I asked Gemini to create conceptual diagram of ecological adaptive plasticity. Anyone who is relying/heavily leaning on this better comb through the slop they get. And "get used to it", as the newest, most costly and wasteful versions apparently hallucinate the most!
I saw a painting in the Netherlands that also featured a very BT looking dog, perhaps in that very museum (I can't remember)
May 12, 2025 at 9:53 PM
I saw a painting in the Netherlands that also featured a very BT looking dog, perhaps in that very museum (I can't remember)
Are you a #scientist worried about #AI taking your job? Don't hold your breath...I asked Gemini to make a conceptual diagram of adaptive plasticity, and got this breathtaking nonsense...
April 23, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Are you a #scientist worried about #AI taking your job? Don't hold your breath...I asked Gemini to make a conceptual diagram of adaptive plasticity, and got this breathtaking nonsense...
#terriertuesday #thenandnow. Two terriers could not be more different. Dexter the schnauzer is "Mr.Perfect", always minding, while Midge the border arrived full of chaos, and while she has mellowed, she will never be rid of the bees in her brain.
April 8, 2025 at 2:04 PM
#terriertuesday #thenandnow. Two terriers could not be more different. Dexter the schnauzer is "Mr.Perfect", always minding, while Midge the border arrived full of chaos, and while she has mellowed, she will never be rid of the bees in her brain.
Little cactus crowns everywhere in my garden
March 30, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Little cactus crowns everywhere in my garden
Both of mine are in a state...
March 26, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Both of mine are in a state...
Experiments: they don't always work!! But you can pivot! We had very low germination of our seeds, but we are now assessing moisture retention directly in our seedballs
March 26, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Experiments: they don't always work!! But you can pivot! We had very low germination of our seeds, but we are now assessing moisture retention directly in our seedballs
Are we still doing that #rejectionistherule thing? Because I had a grant rejected today! But also, my hamster is cute. So who really won today?
March 18, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Are we still doing that #rejectionistherule thing? Because I had a grant rejected today! But also, my hamster is cute. So who really won today?
Little mammillaria nestled at the base of a saguaro in a tiny crack within a drainage.
March 2, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Little mammillaria nestled at the base of a saguaro in a tiny crack within a drainage.
When saguaro are drought stressed, they self prune and drop limbs. It's been a very dry year at Saguaro National Park.
March 1, 2025 at 2:50 AM
When saguaro are drought stressed, they self prune and drop limbs. It's been a very dry year at Saguaro National Park.
Not to distract from the current unpleasantness, but it looks like we may have gone a little overboard on water-retaining polymers in our seedball mix...
February 19, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Not to distract from the current unpleasantness, but it looks like we may have gone a little overboard on water-retaining polymers in our seedball mix...
#terriertuesday frolicking in our household is full contact from under the couch
February 11, 2025 at 2:39 PM
#terriertuesday frolicking in our household is full contact from under the couch