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.

Eye of the Turtle

Posted on December 10, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Is there anything more lovable than the humble turtle?  As old as the dinosaurs, they stumbled onto a body plan that works and promptly dropped out of the evolutionary arms race.  Slow, plodding, and seemingly oblivious, they steadfastly cling to their quite, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reptilia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , | 60 Comments

Monroe Canyon – A Tiger Beetle “Hot Spot”

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

The vast landscape surrounding the Nebraska Pine Ridge boasts two entirely different natural communities – the High Plains shortgrass prairie atop the ridge stretching endlessly to the south, and the eerie, desolate Badlands on the north side of the ridge extending … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Answer to Super Crop Challenge #2

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I was hoping that Super Crop Challenge #2 would prove a little more difficult than the first one, but first responder Troy Bartlett quickly sniffed out the correct answer – the top part of the abdomen of the marmorated orb weaver, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Super Crop Challenge #2

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Super Crop Challenge #1 appeared not to be too difficult – let’s see if this one is any harder. This is a straight up ID challenge, more points for greater specificity. To narrow things down a bit, the photograph from which this portion … Continue reading →

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

Tiny little slivers of life

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Day 1 of the 2010 Fall Tiger Beetle Trip™ had been an unqualified success.  Not only did we achieve our top goal of the trip – seeing good numbers of the recently discovered South Dakota population of Cicindela pulchra (beautiful tiger beetle), … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Scythrididae | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Kirby’s Tiger Beetle

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

At the northern edge of the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska, the land drops precipitously from verdant High Plains to the eerie Badlands below.  The sterile landscape of eroded slopes and irregularly shaped landforms is at once beautiful and harsh.  … Continue reading →

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

Litaneutria minor – agile ground mantid

Posted on November 28, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Have you ever seen a mantid that lives exclusively on the ground?  Most mantids are ambush predators, hiding amongst the bushes while patiently waiting for unsuspecting prey to happen within striking range.  However, a few small groups of mantids have adopted a different strategy – … Continue reading →

Posted in Dictyoptera, Mantidae, Mantodea | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

3rd Blogoversary, 7 New Blogs, & AIF #10

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Today happens to be BitB’s 3rd blogoversary.  I won’t bore you with an attempt at witty, insightful introspection on what it means to have reached this modest milestone.  BitB is still what it started out as – tales from my life-long, entomocentric, … Continue reading →

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