Dr. Marissa Civic
@stemfactually
Owner of STEM Factually | Inorganic Chemist | Former Professor | NY, US Substack: Podcast: Science Store: Website: www.stemfactually.com
Cool read: www.americanscientist.org/article/curi... Hydrangea color varies based on aluminum availability, not internal pH shifts. Soil pH determines if roots can absorb metals to form colorful coordination complexes w/anthocyanin pigments. White ones lack these pigments 🦋🐡🧬🧪🥽👩🔬🍎📷🌱 #bloomscrolling
Very excited to introduce my new logo! I'll be gradually updating my sites to incorporate it. www.stemfactually.com #stemfactually #smallbusiness #logo #graphicdesign #stem #womanownedbusiness
Butterfly weed is another host plant for monarch butterflies. It's a type of milkweed and a valuable native plant across most of the US. It lacks the white sap associated with common milkweed. This photo was taken in my Dad's gardens. 🦋🌱🍎👩🔬🥽🧪🧬🐡 #photography
Robber fly enjoying lunch. Robber flies inject a neurotoxin into their prey which liquifies their insides. 🦋🧪🥽👩🔬🍎🌱🐡🧬 #photography #bugsky
Never forget to stop and smell the...bugs? Here's a netwing beetle who could use some appreciation. Found him hanging out in my pumpkin vines. 🌱🍎👩🔬🥽🧪🪲🦋🐡 #photography #art #bugsky
Not all ladybugs we see in our gardens are native. I found this Asian lady beetle in my garden today. You can tell by the "W" shape on the white part of its exoskeleton. They're welcome in my garden if they're eating aphids, but I'd like to try to support a native population. 🧪🥽👩🔬🌱🍎🐞🦋
Made a simple coin cell battery with the kids today. They really appreciated the concept of a battery when we wrapped it up and related it to the ones we buy in the store. Got 1 V and powered a small LED. 👩🔬🧬🧪🦋🥽🍎🔋 #kids #parenting #momsknowsciencetoo
Update, but the last one for this bunch because my kids ate the blue ones! 🧪👩🔬🥽🍎🫐🦋🌱
Post your favorite garden helpers! For me it's probably toads and bumblebees. Found this guy in my garden yesterday! Not only do toads eat pests, their skin contains neat antimicrobial peptides that help protect them while they hang out in the dirt. 🌱🦋🍎🥽👩🔬🧪🐸🧬
Blueberries soon enough! 🫐 Just waiting on some sugars and anthocyanins 🧪👩🔬🥽🍎🌱🦋 #photography #garden #plants #nature
Found an invasive bee with his foot stuck in milkweed (natives are stronger and able to break free), and a goldenrod crab spider seized the moment and ate him #natureismetal 🌱🦋 #bugsky
It's a big world out there! *Insert shameless plug about hiring a STEM Mentor* lol Check out this spotless lady beetle I found in my garden yesterday! Thanks for eating all those aphids 🪲 🐞 #bugsky #ladybugwithnospots #photography #photo #stemfactually 🦋🌱🧪👩🔬🍎🥽🐡
Got "swarmed" by these weevils in my garden yesterday. #bugsky 🌱🦋🪲
Bets on if this will turn red before the chipmunks steal it? Here's a fun read about strawberry chemistry from @rsc.org : What's in your strawberries? | Feature | RSC Education share.google/uJakzMQJDkVw... 🍓 🌱🧪👩🔬🥽🍎🦋
Yes! My kids and I have fun hunting through every year for caterpillars. It's amazing how many bugs call milkweed home. So many beetles, spiders, bees. I found this guy today not far from the caterpillar
It's milkweed season! Keep an eye out for these guys! Monarchs only eat milkweed, so think and identify before pulling weeds and using herbicides. Without flowers, we have no pollinators. 🦋🌱🍎🐛🐡🥽👩🔬🧪
Found this beautiful bee buzzing in what I think is false indigo in my new yard. Thanks for pollinating, friend! #bloomscroll #bloomscrolling #bee #savethebees #summer 🧪👩🔬🌱🌸🐝🪻🌷
Soon we will have blueberries! If the chipmunks don't eat them all green ha 🫐 🐿️ 🌱👩🔬🦋
Cranesbill. I've enjoyed discovering all the new flowers in the yard. We bought the house last winter! #bloomscrolling #bloomscroll #spring #flowers #newhouse 🌱🦋🌸
Found a beautiful peony #bloomscrolling #bloomscroll 👩🔬🦋🌱🌸 #spring
I love seeing the first signs of #spring We moved into a new house this past winter and discovering all our new plants has been very exciting. Forsythia is pictured! 🧬🍎👩🔬🧪🥽🌱🌻🌼 #bloomscrolling #bloomscroll #flowers