Author Archives: Ted C. MacRae

About Ted C. MacRae

Ted C. MacRae is a research entomologist by vocation and beetle taxonomist by avocation. Areas of expertise in the latter include worldwide jewel beetles (Buprestidae) and North American longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae). More recent work has focused on North American tiger beetles (Cicindelidae) and their distribution, ecology, and conservation.

One-shot Wednesday: pale green assassin bug

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

As my friend Rich and I set out a week ago Sunday on the final stretch in our quest to hike the 350-mile Ozark Trail in its entirety, I saw this slender, green assassin bug (family Reduviidae) sitting on a tender young leaf … Continue reading →

Posted in Hemiptera, Reduviidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Baby box turtle on white

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

Box turtles of the genus Terrapene are extraordinarily common in Missouri, especially in the eastern and southern forested regions of the state where the three-toed box turtle (T. carolina triunguis)—Missouri’s state reptile—is the most commonly encountered form. Despite this abundance and the author’s more than a half-century spent … Continue reading →

Posted in Reptilia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

“Picudo negro” (black weevil) on soybean in Argentina

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

During my recent tour of soybean fields in Argentina, I traveled north to Tucumán Province and met with entomologists at the Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Columbre (“Obispo Columbre Agricultural Experiment Station”). This provincial station, established more than 100 years ago (1909), … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Curculionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

An arboreal fishing spider

Posted on May 2, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

Last week was my birthday, and as is my usual custom I took the day off in favor of the season’s first “official” bug collecting trip. Falling in late April as it does, my birthday usually coincides nicely with insect activity … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The importance of post-processing

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the most frustrating realizations I had when I began photographing insects was the fact that photographs didn’t come out of the camera “ready-to-go”—i.e., they still needed to be processed to some degree to make them look good. Even … Continue reading →

Posted in Gryllidae, Orthoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Not all soybean caterpillars are ‘ugly’!

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

Although photographs of beetles dominate this site (they are my true love, after all), I am nevertheless an agricultural entomologist by day and, as such, find occasion to post photos of the insects I encounter in my area of expertise—soybean. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hesperiidae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Seminar on Oklahoma’s Glass Mountains

Posted on April 24, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

Earlier this week I gave a seminar to the Entomology Group of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society. Founded in 1920 and known locally as “WGNSS”, the organization seeks “to stimulate interest in nature study on the part of adults … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tortoise beetles on the job

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Ted C. MacRae

Back in late February and early March I did my annual tour through the soybean growing regions of central and northern Argentina to look at insect efficacy trials (pretty amazing to me still when I think about it—I actually get paid to spend time … Continue reading →

Posted in Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments