Category Archives: Cerambycidae

Longhorned beetles, roundheaded woodboring beetles. About 24,000 species worldwide. Predominantly borers in trunks and branches of dead and dying woody plants. A few species attack living trees and are regarded as economic pests.

A Silver Anniversary

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Twenty-five years ago tomorrow, I discovered my first new species.  I didn’t know it at the time – in fact, it would be several years later before the budding, young entomologist that I was would finally conclude that the large, spectacularly beautiful, cerambycid beetle … Continue reading →

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

Sanctuary for the Betulaceae

Posted on February 25, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Nestled on the eastern side of the St. Francois Mountains, where the craggy exposures of the Ozarks most ancient rocks begin to subside underneath the Cambrian sandstones laid down over them, lies Hawn State Park – considered by many to … Continue reading →

Posted in Betulaceae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Tragidion confusion

Posted on February 2, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Back in October, I discussed a recent review of the cerambycid genus Tragidion, authored by Ian Swift and Ann Ray and published in the online journal Zootaxa.  These gorgeous beetles mimic the so-called “tarantula hawks” (a group of large, predatory … Continue reading →

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Top Ten of 2008

Posted on January 1, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

For the first post of 2009, I begin with a look back at some of my favorite photos from 2008 (idea stolen from Alex Wild and others).  I initially hesitated to do a “best photos” post since I’m not really … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae, Asilidae, Asteraceae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Cicindelidae, Coleoptera, Cupressaceae, Diptera, Onagraceae, Reptilia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

New species and a review of the genus Tragidion

Posted on October 23, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

Species of Tragidion are among the larger and more attractive cerambycids in North America, making them popular among collectors. Their bright orange and black coloration clearly functions in mimicking spider wasps (family Pompilidae) in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis – … Continue reading →

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Megacyllene comanchei revisited

Posted on September 30, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

On my recent trip, I reported finding the rarely collected Megacyllene comanchei at several localities in northwestern Nebraska and southwestern South Dakota. These are significant findings, since they not only represent new records for both states, but also an impressive … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Sand Hills Success

Posted on September 27, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

Having explored the Pine Ridge of northwestern Nebraska and the Black Hills of South Dakota, it was time to turn my attention to the vast central Nebraska Sand Hills. My original plan was to leave the Pine Ridge area early … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Rattled in the Black Hills

Posted on September 24, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

My first day in the Black Hills of South Dakota was spent at McNenny State Fish Hatchery near Spearfish – on the north side of the Black Hills. I went to this place on the advice of my esteemed colleagues … Continue reading →

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