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.

Bichos Argentinos #1 – Eristalinus taeniops

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

It figures that perhaps the most striking insect I saw at La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina would be an introduced species, as the area itself is a man-made reconstruction of the wet Pampas grasslands endemic to coastal areas of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Syrphidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

La Reserva Ecologica Costanera Sur

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I spent this past weekend in Buenos Aires, Argentina before embarking on a one-week whirlwind tour to visit field sites in several other parts of the country.  It was supposed to be a short rest stop, but I can do nothing of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Amphibia, Aves, Lepidoptera, Riodinidae, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Saludos de Argentina

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I was hoping somebody might try to guess in which city the photos in the previous post were taken, but nobody took the bait.  My allusion to a population of 13.1 million people makes for a rather short list, and in fact they were taken in … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

A Room with a View

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

A couple of pictures from my hotel room, one taken about five hours ago… …and another taken just about an hour ago… You need a lot of lights for 13.1 million people! Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , | 8 Comments

North America’s largest scarab beetle

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As one of North America’s largest, most written about, and most photographed beetles, Dynastes tityus (eastern Hercules beetle) hardly needs an introduction.  I photographed this male specimen from my collection back in December while testing my DIY diffuser for the MT-24EX … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Brazil Bugs #15 – Formiga-membracídeos mutualismo

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Of the several insect groups that I most wanted to see and photograph during my trip to Brazil a few weeks ago, treehoppers were near the top of the list.  To say that treehoppers are diverse in the Neotropics is … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Membracidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

Monday Moth – Polka-dot Wasp Moth

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Monday Moth post, so I thought I’d feature one of the prettier specimens in my very limited Lepidoptera collection.  This is Syntomeida epilais (polka-dot wasp moth), one of four species in the genus that … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctiidae, Erebidae, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Brazil Bugs #14 – Fusquinha

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite their hyperdiversity, leaf beetles (family Chrysomelidae) as a group are for the most part among the most easily recognized of all beetle families, and within the family none are more recognizable than the tortoise beetles (subfamily Cassidinae).  Named for … Continue reading →

Posted in Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments