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.

Featured Guest Photo: A Spectacular Case of Mimicry

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

On occasion I receive photos from readers that are so remarkable I simply must share them (with the owner’s permission, of course). Recently I received a note from Len de Beer in Maputo, Mozambique, who was looking for help identifying a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A jewel of a beetle

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

I really wish I had a photomicrography setup like the one that Sam Heads has at the University of Illinois for imaging preserved specimens. Alas, insect taxonomy is “just a hobby” for me, and any specimen photography I wish to do must … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Raining spit

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Even though it was November (and thus spring in Argentina), conditions were already unusually dry—a portent of the worst drought that would hit Argentina in 70 years. Because of this, I found the occasional wet spot on the pavement as I … Continue reading →

Posted in Cercopidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Backyard gems

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to travel far and wide in my searches for insects—from the Gypsum Hills of the Great Plains and Sky Islands of the desert southwest to the subtropical riparian woodlands of the Lower Rio Grande … Continue reading →

Posted in Betulaceae, Buprestidae, Coleoptera, Cupressaceae, Orchidaceae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Super Crop Challenge #15

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Can you identify the structure in the photo below (2 pts), what it is doing (2 pts), and the organism to which it belongs (order, family, genus, and species—2 pts each)? Comments will be held in moderation so everybody has a chance … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , | 26 Comments

Diffusion versus post-processing, or perhaps something even better?

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the comments on my post Diffuser comparisons for 100mm macro lens was by Stephen Barlow, one of the original “concave diffuser” advocates, who claimed that the “dead” appearance of Photo #4 was an artifact of post-processing and not really a problem … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Texas Prick

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Recently my friend Kent Fothergill launched a series of posts ranting about discussing the difficulties associated with common names. The inaugural post featured the insect I show here, Dectes texanus, a member of the family Cerambycidae (longhorned beetles) that has gained … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

How to collect larvae of Amblycheila cylindriformis

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Step 1. Go to your favorite grassland habitat in the western half of the Great Plains anywhere from Texas north to South Dakota and look for barren soil amongst the vegetation. Clay banks near streams or in ravines and even vertical clay … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments