Monthly Archives: March 2011

Bichos Argentinos #7 – Naupactus xanthographus

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

This weevil (family Curculionidae) was one of just a few beetle species that I encountered earlier this month in Buenos Aires, Argentina at La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur.  Weevils are, of course, one of the most taxonomically diverse and difficult groups of … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Curculionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Bichos Argentinos #6 – Jumping Spider

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I photographed this jumping spider (family Salticidae) two weeks ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina at La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur. In gestalt it is very similar to our North American species of the genus Phidippus, but I can’t say for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

BitB Does CoO

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Although my fondness for beetles is well known, I also have an inordinate fondness for systematics.  For this reason, Catalogue of Organisms by Christopher Taylor has long been high on my ‘must read’ list.  While there are no limits to the … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bichos Argentinos #5 – Cyrtocoris egeris

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite its obvious membership in the order Hemiptera, I knew the insect featured in ID Challenge #7 would be a difficult subject to identify.  This bizarre bug is Cyrtocoris egeris, a member of the small pentatmoid family Cytocoridae (congratulations to HBG Dave, who was … Continue reading →

Posted in Cytocoridae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

ID Challenge #7

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I hadn’t planned on doing another ID Challenge so quickly after the previous one¹; however, this critter is just too cool to keep in my pocket any longer.  Order-level identification shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, but I’ll be … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

A thrips is a thrips…

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The critter in ID Challenge #6 is, as most surmised, a thrips¹, and although the black-and-white banding of the elytra make the predaceous “banded thrips” (Aeolothrips sp. of the family Aeolothripidae) a logical ID choice, the species in the photograph is actually … Continue reading →

Posted in Thripidae, Thysanoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

ID Challenge #6

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

It’s been awhile since our last ID Challenge.  I’ll give 2 pts each for correctly naming the order, family, genus, and species and whatever supporting information you can provide.  Bonus points if you can surmise host plant, location, etc.  Standard ID … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , | 18 Comments

Brazil Bugs #16 – Outro Percevejo

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Another stink bug (family Pentatomidae) from my recent travels to South America, but this one from southeastern Brazil rather than Argentina.  Although the white spot at the apex of the scutellum is a common theme across the family, the jet … Continue reading →

Posted in Hemiptera, Pentatomidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments