Category Archives: Coleoptera

Beetles. The largest order of animals with more than 300,000 species in about 2000 genera.

Q: How do you photograph cactus beetles?

Posted on November 24, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

A: Very carefully! This past June I went out to one of my favorite spots in northwestern Oklahoma—Alabaster Caverns State Park in Woodward Co. The park, of course, is best known for its alabaster gypsum cavern—one of the largest such in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cactaceae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The “Dagger Butt Weevil”

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

In April 2012 I spent some time in northern Argentina collecting insects, and while collecting was not that great (late in the season after a protracted drought) I saw enough of interest to make it a worthwhile effort. Among the … Continue reading →

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

Sunday scarab: Phileurus valgus

Posted on November 17, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Few beetles enjoy more popularity than the scarabs (family Scarabaeidae)¹, and within that group certainly the members of the subfamily Dynastinae are the most popular of all due to their often enormous size and presence of highly developed horns on … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

ESA Insect Macrophotography Workshop

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Today is the last day of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, and it has been an action packed week for me. Annual meetings such as this serve several purposes. In addition to seeing talks on … Continue reading →

Posted in Aeschnidae, Arachnida, Araneae, Buprestidae, Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Membracidae, Odonata, Reduviidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Darwin Beetle

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Like most modern biologists, Charles Darwin ranks high on my short list of intellectual/entomological heroes. Actually, with all due respect to others on the list—Carl Linnaeus, Alfred Russell Wallace, John Lawrence LeConte, and others, Darwin sits at #1. His theory … Continue reading →

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

Midget male meloid mates with mega mama

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

While looking for longhorned beetles in the genus Crossidius on flowers of yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) in southern Utah, I encountered one particular plant with numerous blister beetles (family Meloidae) on its blossoms. The orange color, two black pronotal spots, and distinctive black … Continue reading →

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

One-shot Wednesday: The “other” hibiscus jewel beetle

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

This past summer I visited Otter Slough Conservation Area in southeast Missouri in an effort to find and photograph the stunningly beautiful Agrilus concinnus Horn, or “hibiscus jewel beetle” (MacRae 2004). I was not successful in that quest, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Honey Locust Borer

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Conditions for collecting didn’t look very promising when I awoke on Day 4 of my early June trip to northwestern Oklahoma. After collecting at Alabaster Caverns State Park the previous day, I had traveled a few hours further west during … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments