Mymaridae is a diverse family of wasps that contains more than 1,400 known species, and they're often described as fairy wasps (or "fairy flies") because they are so incredibly tiny. In fact, these are some of the smallest multicellular animals ever described, with most fairy wasps measuring less than 1mm long.

Above: a species of fairy wasp, Lymaenon aureus, depicted on a lime

One species of fairy wasp, Dicopomorpha echmepterygis, is regarded as the world's smallest known insect, measuring as little as 0.139mm (139 microns) long, which is roughly the size of a single human egg.

Above: Anagrus fairy wasp

As this article explains:

Fairyflies are not actual flies at all, but chalcid wasps; they get their name because of their fairy-like wings, and for being tiny and "invisible" like the mythical fairies. Fairyflies have the smallest known adult form of any insect: wingless and blind males of the species Dicopomorpha echmepterygis have a body length of just 0.139 mm, about the average width of a human hair. The fairyfly family Mymaridae consists of many species, including Tinkerbella nana and Kikiki huna, the smallest known flying insect species with a body length of 0.16 mm.

Above: the photo at the top shows a fairy wasp of the genus Anagrus, while the photo on the bottom shows another species from genus Polynema

Most fairy wasps have fully-functional wings that are lined with long, feathery bristles:

Fairyfly wings are not only small, but their structure is comb-like and made of several bristles instead of a planar sheet. Their very small size means that the air around them is more viscous than it would be for larger insects. At such small scale, the ratio of inertia to viscosity, the Reynolds number, is so low that any movement provided to an air packet quickly dampens out. It also means that a single wing bristle drags along with it a boundary layer of a comparable size. Thus, if the bristles are sufficiently close, the comb-like wing can act as a paddle to generate the requisite aerodynamic forces, while reducing the overall mass of the wing.

Above: a fairy wasp depicted beneath a push-pin

All of the wasps in this family are parasitoids, and they lay their own eggs within the eggs of other insects. They often parasitize the eggs of booklice, aphids, scale insects, thrips, water beetles, and other tiny arthropods. The female fairy wasp inserts her ovipositor into the host egg, depositing her own offspring within, and the process is then repeated many more times as she parasitizes as many eggs as possible.

Above: this composite image shows male and female fairy wasps of the genus Polynema standing on a pinhead

This seems like a good time to point out that fairy wasps do not parasitize mammalian ova, nor do they parasitize the eggs of any other vertebrates, and they are completely harmless to humans. In fact, they're actually beneficial, since they often parasitize agricultural pests.

Above: a fairy wasp trapped in a tiny guttation drop produced by a fungus

I posted some information about fairy bees a few weeks ago, so I figured that I should share these little fairy wasps, too.

Above: a Mymar fairy wasp with an aphid standing nearby

Sources & More Info:

Current Biology: Fairyflies

Annual Review of Entomology: Small is Beautiful: Features of the Smallest Insects and Limits to Miniaturization (PDF)

Journal of Hymenoptera Research: A New Genus and Species of Fairyfly, Tinkerbella nana, with Comments on its Sister Genus Kikiki, and Discussion on Small Size Limits in Arthropods (PDF)

The “getting it done in an unconventional way” method.

The “it’s not cheating to do it the easy way” method.

The “fuck what you’re supposed to do” method.

The “get stuff done while you wait” method.

The “you don’t have to do everything at once” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be permanent to be helpful” method.

The “break the task into smaller steps” method.

The “treat yourself like a pet” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be all or nothing” method.

The “put on a persona” method.

The “act like you’re filming a tutorial” method.

The “you don’t have to do it perfectly” method.

The “wait for a trigger” method.

The “do it for your future self” method.

The “might as well” method.

The “when self discipline doesn’t cut it” method.

The “taking care of yourself to take care of your pet” method.

The “make it easy” method.

The “junebugging” method.

The “just show up” method.

The “accept when you need help” method.

The “make it into a game” method.

The “everything worth doing is worth doing poorly” method.

The “trick yourself” method.

The “break it into even smaller steps” method.

The “let go of should” method.

The “your body is an animal you have to take care of” method.

The “fork theory” method.

BUT the original posts are all still around! So I followed my ADHD hyperfixation whims and, through a process of finding older versions of these links through Wayback and then searching up the original posters, tracked down the original post links!

May I present-

✨ THE NEW AND IMPROVED MASTERPOST OF EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION RESOURCES! ✨

The “getting it done in an unconventional way” method

The “it’s not cheating to do it the easy way” method

The “fuck what you’re supposed to do” method

The “get stuff done while you wait” method

The “you don’t have to do everything at once” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be permanent to be helpful” method.

The “break the task into smaller steps” method.

The “treat yourself like a pet” method.

The “it doesn’t have to be all or nothing” method.

The “put on a persona” method.

The “act like you’re filming a tutorial” method.

The “you don’t have to do it perfectly” method.

The “wait for a trigger” method.

The “do it for your future self” method. (*this is mostly an image post that was reposted to Tumblr by a separate blogger with credit, but the original artist doesn’t seem to be on Tumblr so I’m redirecting it to the original IG upload instead so they can get the traffic they deserve <3)

The “might as well” method.

The “when self discipline doesn’t cut it” method.

The “taking care of yourself to take care of your pet” method.

The “make it easy” method.

The “junebugging” method.

The “just show up” method.

The “accept when you need help” method.

The “make it into a game” method.

The “everything worth doing is worth doing poorly” method.

The “trick yourself” method.

The “break it into even smaller steps” method.

The “let go of should” method.

The “your body is an animal you have to take care of” method.

The “fork theory” method.

The “effectivity over aesthetics” method. (*updated link to include follow-up reblogs from the same OP that include additional helpful resources)

If any of the links break again on account of the original posters deactivating their accounts, feel free to let me know and I’ll update this post! OR if you’re a lost media hunter like me and you’re up for some fun, you can also just go through the Wayback Machine yourself with the original link and find someone else who reblogged it!

Instructions for how to download a Youtube video using VLC on Reddit

highlights include:

killing the lights and fucking booking it when you defeat him, and then just straight up deserting the garlean army with absolutely no remorse or hesitation

leaving the praetorium and almost immediately posting up under a streetlight in a stupid outfit in revenant's toll like some kind of clown hooker, waiting to direct wol to the crystal tower questline JUST so he could involve himself, too

showing up in the middle of a major city not even slightly in disguise to walk up to a meeting of world leaders and say "now it's clear the problem you're having is that you haven't involved MEEEEEE"

accepting wearing an ironworks uniform but dying it red because #aesthetics

magical girl armor transformation

bonus: cid keeping his sunglasses and then just silently handing them back afterward as if they do this all the fucking time

getting attacked and injured but just refusing to tell anyone about it until he literally collapsed

sneaking out of the infirmary but not before forging cid's signature on his expense report

telling his fellow garleans that if all they were gonna do is whine and refuse any solutions to their problems they could just fucking die for all he cares

"[part 2] I mean no insult to Ship of course. They seem very attentive and I used to really enjoy their detective skits. From the contents of your blogs they come across as so much less intellectually curious that it surprises me that you are compatible. Do you get adequate intellectual stimulation from other relationships/is that not a need for you in a partner/are my standards unrealistic?"

i have no idea how to respond to this. we have all been in absolutely helpless hysterics about it for the last thirty minutes. this is by far the most deranged ask I have received about my personal life on this website in my fifteen year career on here, and that is saying quite a lot

Me 1 day later: I need to be left alone to gather the pieces of Me together

sleep apnea is more common in people who are fat.

society decided for some reason that this meant that being fat causes sleep apnea. its often difficult to get referrals for sleep apnea treatment if you are fat, because some PCPs will tell you try losing weight first.

turns out!! having untreated sleep apnea causes weight gain in a not-insignificant number of people. it also makes it fucking impossible for many people to lose weight.

my husband worked out the same amount before he got a cpap as he does now. there have been no major diet changes either. yet he has been losing weight -- and gaining muscle tone -- consistently since he started using a cpap in january.

also, his blood pressure -- which was high, which docs blamed on his weight/diet -- went down significantly within one month of starting cpap treatment, before his weight changed significantly.

ANYWAYS. this is getting long. two final thoughts.

- I Want To Strangle Medical Fatphobia With My Bare Fucking Hands