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.

Revision of the Formicidae of North America

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I recently came across this ant in the southeastern Missouri Ozarks sitting in a hole in the trunk of a standing dead black oak (Quercus velutinus) tree, apparently guarding the entrance to its nest. This big black ant is frequently … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 66 Comments

North America’s second-rarest pine

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

During last year’s trip to Lake Tahoe, I made it a goal to find all of the 11 conifer species occurring naturally in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  It took some effort, some good references (Arno 1973, Graf 1999, Lanner 1999, … Continue reading →

Posted in Pinaceae, Plantae | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Orange-banded checkered beetle

Posted on April 22, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

As a student of woodboring beetles for more than a quarter-century now, I’ve had occasion to encounter a goodly number of checkered beetles (family Cleridae) – both in the field and as a result of rearing them from dead wood. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cleridae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Hello World!

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

These are two of the Cylindera celeripes (swift tiger beetle) larvae that I’m rearing.  Note: nobody has ever reared this species before!  Nobody has ever even seen its larvae (before now, that is). These larvae hatched from eggs that were … Continue reading →

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

Taum Sauk Mountain – Missouri’s High Point

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Although spring is now well underway in the middlin’ latitudes of Missouri, it was only a few short weeks ago that winter was still with us.  For my last winter hike of the season, I returned to perhaps my favorite … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Two ladies from Ontario

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

What do bugs and snakes/lizards/frogs/turtles have in common? Yes, they’re both ectothermic, but that is the scientist’s answer. Most folks would say they’re just creepy – girls especially! Well, two ladies from Ontario are proving the latter notion wrong by … Continue reading →

Posted in Curculionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Josef Knull was wrong!

Posted on April 16, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

A few weeks ago I received an email from Kyle Schnepp, an entomology student at Purdue University.  Kyle has taken on the rather ambitious project of developing an illustrated key to the Buprestidae of eastern North America, for which he has … Continue reading →

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

Mylabris oculatus in South Africa

Posted on April 15, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Mylabris oculata, the CMR bean beetle, is a large, conspicuously-colored beetle in the family Meloidae (blister beetles) that I saw quite commonly during my stay in South Africa.  “CMR” refers to the Cape Mounted Rifle Corps, a police force in the … Continue reading →

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