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.

Oh, and by the way…

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

…Happy 2nd blogoversary to me!  I just now realized it, so happily you’ll be spared the tedious introspection. Today also marks 150 years since the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.  Sharing the day with my hero (see … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

A “Really” Big-headed Tiger Beetle

Posted on November 24, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

In my recent summary of the latest issue of the journal Cicindela, I included a scan of the cover of that issue and its stunning image of the 3rd-instar larva of Megacephala megacephala¹ from Africa.  This otherwordly-looking, four-eyed beast was photographed with jaws agape … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“This is a big horse!”

Posted on November 22, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

more about "“This is a big horse!”", posted with vodpod I don’t think I’ve seen a more egregious example of insect-ID-fail than this one! It may, in fact, be a moth 🙂 Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2009

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged | 8 Comments

Florida Scrub Lizard

Posted on November 19, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Tiger beetles were not the only rare endemic species that I encountered during my visit to the Lake Wales Ridge in central Florida last August.  I didn’t know what this small lizard was as I watched it bolt from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reptilia | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Moustached Tiger Beetle

Posted on November 16, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

In my previous post, I featured the rare Cicindela highlandensis (Highlands Tiger Beetle), restricted entirely to sand scrubland and pine woodland habitats along the Lake Wales Ridge in central Florida (Choate 2003).  However, that would not be the only Florida endemic tiger beetle … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Highlands Tiger Beetle

Posted on November 12, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

When my wife and I made plans to spend a week at her sister’s condominium in Florida this past summer, I began making a list of the tiger beetle species that I wanted to see.  I would be happy to … Continue reading →

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

Monday Moth: White-tipped Black Moth

Posted on November 9, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

When is a ctenuchid moth not a ctenuchid moth?  When it’s a White-tipped Black Moth (Melanchroia chephise) in the family Geometridae! I may be a beetle guy, but I also consider myself a competent general entomologist.  What is a competent general … Continue reading →

Posted in Geometridae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Beetle Research Roundup

Posted on November 5, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

The latest issue of the journal Cicindela arrived in my mailbox today, and as usual some interesting papers are included.  For those of you unfamiliar with it, Cicindela is “a quarterly journal devoted to the Cicindelidae,” publishing papers dealing with any aspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments