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.

Twig tethered to a twig

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

In September I visited soybean field trials across the southeastern U.S. It’s a trip I’ve done every year for the past I don’t know how many years and one that I enjoy immensely due to the opportunities it gives me … Continue reading →

Posted in Geometridae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

GBCT Beetle #3—Crossidius coralinus temprans

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

On Day 2 of our late August Great Basin Collecting Trip (GBCT), we headed east from Reno towards Fallon (Churchill Co.) and surrounding areas of western Nevada. Our quarry on this day was one of the spectacular Crossidius coralinus subspecies—in this case C. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Cover Photo—The Coleopterists Bulletin 67(3)

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

I hope you’ll all take note of the cover photo on the September 2013 issue of The Coleopterists Bulletin (vol. 67, no. 3), which just arrived in my mailbox. It features the adult jewel beetle, Chrysobothris octocola, that I found in September … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Sunday Spider: Backlit Araneus

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Letting the dog out tonight, I encountered this spider—presumably in the genus Araneus—who had strung up her web in the corner of the doorway and was eerily backlit when I turned on the porch light. Without a tripod that would … Continue reading →

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

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Posted on September 28, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

In mid-August I traveled to Las Vegas with several hundred of my colleagues for week-long, organization-wide meetings. As would be expected, the itinerary was full with little time for diversions, but management was kind enough to call time out on … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

GBCT Beetle #2: Agrilus walsinghami

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Late summer and early fall is not normally a very good time to go looking for woodboring beetles, which for the most part are found in their greatest diversity and abundance during spring and early summer. This is especially true in … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Teeny, tiny, timid tot of a toad

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve been traveling across the southeastern U.S. for the past couple of weeks, during which time I had a chance to go polypipin’ at several of my destinations! For those of you who don’t know what polypipin’ is, it’s when you look for stuff under polypipe. … Continue reading →

Posted in Amphibia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

GBCT Beetle #1: Crossidius hirtipes immaculatus

Posted on September 21, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

In my recent Great Basin Collecting Trip (GBCT) overview, I provided some general comments about the longhorned beetles in the genus Crossidius that were the focus of the trip and, in many cases, photographs of the habitats in which the beetles were … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments