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.

Saltatorial sidetracks

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

One thing I’ve realized during these past several years of fall collecting is that there are more than just tiger beetles to capture my interest as the field season enters its final days.  The late season floral burst of goldenrods … Continue reading →

Posted in Acrididae, Orthoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Missouri’s disjunct population of Cicindela obsoleta vulturina

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Although I’ve been collecting insects since I was a kid (and seriously for nearly three decades), it has only been in more recent years that fall has become an important part of the collecting season for me. With the notable … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Jeepers Creepers, where’d ya get those multilayered retinae?

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to get a chance to blast down to the White River Hills in extreme southwestern Missouri.  Cicindela obsoleta vulturina (prairie tiger beetle) was my quarry – I had made arrangements to meet up … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Quick Business…

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ll have a “real” post ready shortly, but I wanted to make a quick note of a few items that have popped up recently: Cylindera celeripes – this, of course, is the swift tiger beetle, a quite rare species of … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Colorfull Cockroach” discovered in Panama

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I won’t call this a taxonomy fail, since Patrick is clearly not a taxonomist, or even the first person to confuse a beetle with a cockroach.  Nevertheless, I was amused at Patrick’s amazement with the “colorfull cockroach” that he found … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Sweet Sixteen!

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

The 7th Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip™ is officially over – Chris and I rolled back into town a little after midnight last night. It was an amazing trip – perfect weather, unparalleled scenery, and a record-breaking 16 species of … Continue reading →

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

2 days, 6 localities, 10 species…

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Here’s an updated itinerary for the 7th Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip that fellow cicindelophile Chris Brown and I are in the midst of. We’ve spent the past two days visiting six localities in Nebraska and South Dakota. So far, … Continue reading →

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

First tiger of the trip…

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Tiger salamander, that is! Chris and I spent Thursday evening and all of Friday driving across Missouri, up along the Loess Hills into Iowa, across the Missouri River into Nebraska, and all the way through mile after surreal mile of … Continue reading →

Posted in Amphibia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments