Profile picture is me with an Ophrys incubacea in Madrid, Spain.
I am a 22 years old Colombian nature enthusiast, aspiring entomologist, and Enviroment and Sustainability student at the European University of Madrid.
My life-long fascination for life started with dinosaurs as a kid, and more recently I've been dedicated to insects and insect-plant interactions. They are also what I enjoy observing the most along with amphibians, arachnids, and reptiles. I'm even interested in alien life but that's a story for another day.
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I have minimal formal training, but I have learned a lot in the last few years, and thanks to iNaturalist, WaspID Course, BugGuide and other sites/literature, I am able to recognize all sorts of insects and understand their biology. My favorite groups are Sphecidae sensu lato (Digger wasps), Pompilidae (Spider wasps), and Ichneumonidae, although I often dabble in other Hymenopterans, as well as some Dipterans (Tachinidae, Bombyliidae...).

Projects I'm working on:
-A blog (in Spanish) where I will discuss my observations and anything biology.
-Visual key for photo/field ID of Megarhyssa spp. of the U.S and Canada - with @zdanko, now published in the Flyguide website + discussion of their mimicry patterns (TBD).
-A half serious, half for-fun experiment consisting of tasting arthropod-induced galls that I come across, and describing the experience in my journal.

iNat projects I have created:
Galls, miners, and other plant diseases on cultivated/introduced plants
"Parasitica" of North America
Non-stinging Hymenoptera mimicry

Possible research/articles that could be published based on my observations:
-First record of Tischeria ekebladoides in the community of Madrid, from an university arboretum.
-First record of Profenusa pygmaea in Madrid (+ first recorded mine on Quercus canariensis).
-First record of Laelius pedatus in Spain.
-First record of Trichrysis cyanea emerging from cynipid gall on Quercus.
-Poorly known or otherwise undescribed Agromyzidae mining Phlomis herba-ventis in southern Madrid.

In the future I would like to have solitary wasps as my field of expertise, especially Crabronidae, Pompilidae, Ichneumonidae, and Sphecidae.

Wasps are a fascinating group, and by learning more about them I hope to be able to remove the stigma that has become so commonplace in our society. Next time you see a wasp, say to yourself: "This is a pollinator, a biological control, an architect... not a killing machine that is out to get me." (Even if it is a Vespid!).

Join me and hundreds of naturalists at our unofficial iNaturalist Discord.

Gear: Canon Powershot XS70 HS / Redmi Note 10S + loupe or lens / Digital microscope

If you would like to use my images, or if you have any feedback, questions, etc., feel free to message me.

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