Just a quick note for those of you that have been waiting with baited breath—my Publications page has been completed, with papers previously not in electronic format now available as scanned PDFs. These include some of my earliest papers (I know everyone is dying to read about leafhopper life histories), as well as more recent papers published in journals that, as yet, have not transitioned into the electronic era. Of these, the Biography and Memories of my mentor and friend, Gayle Nelson, is perhaps the most useful and will provide the greatest degree of interesting reading. Also interesting, I think, will be a number of newsletter articles that I wrote in 2004-2006 for Nature Notes (the Journal of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society) that chronicle some of my earlier entomological exploits (before starting this blog as an outlet for such). Read about:
- A new beetle in Missouri…
- Hunting the elusive hibiscus jewel beetle…
- A trip to see the “beautiful” tiger beetle…
- A three–part–travelogue through south and west Texas…
- My first collecting trip to Nebraska…
- …and, creating tomorrow’s entomologists.
You may notice my more recent Nature Notes articles contain familiar titles. The tables have now been turned, with BitB now providing a source of articles for Nature Notes. These articles are essentially as they appeared on this site (condensed in a few cases).
For those who like antiquities, actual reprints of most refereed journal articles are still available—just ask.
Another website feature that I’ve added is a complete Bibliography containing citations and, if available, links to online sources for all of the books and papers that I’ve cited in my posts. A link is found on the Contents page, and I’ll make an effort to keep it up-to-date.
Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2010
Beetles In The Bush 
I really enjoyed the “Tomorrow’s entomologists” article…it brought me back to my days as a park and museum educator. Childrens’ appreciation of, and lack of fear towards, the natural world make them the most receptive and fun audiences. I, too, have a folder full of “thank you” notes; carefully printed anecdotes (“I Loved the hiyck. I Love nacher. It was cool wen you shoed us the scull.”) accompanied by charming illustrations. Older “kids” (i.e. undergrads) may not be as candid about their interest or appreciation, but it’s awfully rewarding when they DO take the time to say “that was pretty cool, thanks”.
Thanks, TGIF. The kids are great – so much enthusiasm and awe. I’ve done everything from preschool up to high school seniors. The youngest are my favorite, and the oldest are good as well. Middleschoolers are a different story – old enough to start displaying prejudice but not mature enough to be polite if they’re not interested (he said, currently the father of an 8th grader!).
I was entertained by the new beetle that wasn’t new but that instead helped lead to the real new beetle. And I really liked the depth and multifaceted Texas jaunt, what with birds and insects and ecology and flora–not to mention a failed attempt at martyrdom with the whole trying to cut off one’s thumb ordeal. Its length gives it a breadth and depth that I find enticing. (I’d be remiss if I didn’t admit that that series also strikes me as exceptional because, though Texas has its issues, I live here because 11 distinct ecological regions mean it’s easy to spend a lifetime appreciating the diversity of nature here without ever witnessing all the magic there is to behold.)
But all that said, TGIQ hit the soft spot for me: It’s the education article I like most. We who are more than a few decades old have a responsibility to help educate and enamor younger generations with the magic of nature and our shared responsibility to understand and protect it. I’ve recently begun work with an environmental science center to develop a curriculum for 6th graders regarding a local urban park and its role in conservation, education, diversity, and protection of native flora and fauna. Being engaged in that has made me feel young and alive in ways I can’t explain–except to say it’s because it’s a chance to make a difference, to help set a course for young lives who will one day take up the banner and carry it forward. So, my rambling aside, I like the “tomorrow’s entomologists” article the most.
Hi Jason. I like each one for different reasons. The “new beetle” was my first attempt to relay a story about my investigations, rather than the results one typically publishes in journal articles. I learned from that experience that I liked writing in story format, which I of course do a lot now.
The “Nexus in Texas” articles were just plain fun. I’d never before attempted to document in travelogue fashion an entire trip like that, and it was such an incredible trip with so many notable experiences that I could not – no, would not – shorten it. I know many people won’t read long travelogues such as that, but for me it has kept the experiences and feelings from that trip alive in a way my own memories surely could not.
The “beautiful tiger beetle” and “hibiscus jewel beetle” articles are classic “thrill-of-the-hunt” stories, representing some of my earliest trips focused almost exclusively on a single critter. In prior years, I was more of a “sampler” – going to good habitats in the hopes of collecting a diversity of species, but without a specific target.
Yes, the kid stories are always fun. They are the future, and who but us will teach them the wonders of the world and how it needs to be taken care of.
It takes a rambler to know one, so I enjoy your rambling commentary immensely!