I opted out of doing a year-in-review-type post in January, deciding to celebrate my blog’s anniversary instead!
This third “instar” feels great.
I think I have finally found a comfortable niche in the big wide world of invertebrate blogs. I’m enjoying the new weekly”long-form” posts in which I explore different aspects of my life as grad student. I’m think I’m making good progress with my photography. I’ve reached out to G+, Twitter, Facebook, Research Blogging and a few other spaces in new ways and, as a result, have expanded my readership, as well as my own exposure to great new things to read and learn from. These three-year-old digs have a new name and a new focus, and gosh, it feels fine.
The cherry on top, of course, is you. Yes YOU. So many great people who I’ve come to know and appreciate. I’ve even met some of you in person, and look forward to expanding my IRL list even further at different events this year. You quiet ones, the ones who show up but don’t comment – I appreciate you too, and I hope you’ve been enjoying this space as much as I do.
Anyhoo, I should probably do at least a little re-cap of the past year’s stuff, eh? Shall we? I’ve decided to highlight the features that were most often viewed by you, the readers.
Most popular image of the year:

Acorn weevil taking off (Curculio sp.)
Hands down, “The Flying Weevil” has to be the winner. It’s been viewed on Flickr almost 800 times, it won me first prize in the Ontario Entomological Society Bug Eye photo contest, it was featured on Scientific American blogs not once but TWICE, and it recently showed up here too. And now I have it on t-shirts and mugs. Oh, also, it is my new header. I love this image, but I also hate it, because I’ll likely never get one this good again. *sigh*
Most-read posts of the year:
These received the most page hits of all the posts I wrote in the past year. I love these top three posts. They manage to span some of my own most important areas of personal interest (my research, my photography, and my online communication activities). In fact, I think they represent some of the highlights of my year.
#1: Why I Spend So Much Time on the Internet
I’m actually pretty tickled that this was the winner – no small feat, either, considering it only went up two months ago! Communicating about science is something I’m rather passionate about (duh) and I love the many ways that online social media facilitate this process! I am thrilled by all the recent buzz about this subject.
#2: BugShot 2011 = Awesome
The photography workshop headed by Alex, Thomas and John was AMAZING. I had way too much fun, took many pictures that I’m proud of, learned millions and met many awesome people. If you haven’t heard, BugShot 2012 is coming soon to a Florida research/conservation area near you. Since my student budget is not conducive to traveling to Florida, I am currently crowd-sourcing and selling buggy swag to raise funds to help me get there (I’m already 1/4 of the way to my goal, thanks to many awesome people!). I really hope to see some of you there!
#3: Mind-controlling beetle parasite
This post spread like wildfire and earned me an “Editor’s Selection” nod on Research Blogging. I should have known – people LOVE parasites! They’re so disgusting and so amazing all at the same time! This beautiful beetle (and its little friend) came from my trap collections from Iqaluit, Nunavut, and will play a role in my PhD research.
I’m looking forward to many more fun posts and great photos in the year to come!
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You’ve come a long way, baby!
Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Ted! 😀 You’ve truly been here for the long haul, and I have appreciated your friendship all this time 🙂
Congrats on another year Geek! The new blogoskeleton is great, and I can’t wait to see what the coming year has to bring for you and for your readers!
Thanks Morgan! I can’t stop tinkering with things sometimes; I’m glad you think things are looking good 🙂
Congratulations, Crystal!
Love the acorn weevil shot as well, and I wish.you could put 8×10 prints of it on your Zazzle site…
For you, Adrian: http://www.zazzle.com/flying_weevil_8x10_photo_print_original_image_photoenlargement-190485222155040147 😀
Happy blogoversary to you! Happy blogoversary to you! Happy blogoversary, dear Bug Geek… Happy blogoversary to you!
Been loving your blog for almost 2 years now and I’m sure I’ll continue to love it well into the future.
Awww, thanks for the song! 😀 Likewise, I know I’ll keep enjoying your blog too! 😀
Happy 3rd year and many returns. Great to cross paths with you in the blogosphere. I love your new header and I am sure there will be many more great shots to come.
Thanks! I’ve found a few great new-to-me blogs in the past few months and I certainly count your among them! Thanks for the kind words 🙂
Congrats!
Thanks Bug Girl!
The “Mind-controlling beetle parasite” post is what brought me here in the first place! Congrats on your third year, I hope there are many more years of insect blogging in your future.
Derek, I’m glad that post found YOU! Another great blog and fun tweep the past few months have brought into my life 🙂
Congrats Crystal! I only recently started reading your blog and absolutely love it. Also, I could stare at that weevil picture all day.
Thanks, itsy! I’m so glad that you’ve found this space AND stuck around 🙂 Also, if you really love that picture, you could totally stare at it all day (on a t-shirt or mug perhaps? 😉 )
Thripetastic three! Mazel tov, Molotov!
I don’t know what half of that means, but I get the sentiment behind it! LOL! Thanks Mathew! 😀
Yea gads! I’m a month younger than you are to the day – 13 April 2009! Well, February is a short month, but I still insist on the illusion of relative youth. Congratulations and felicitations!