Category Archives: Coleoptera

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

Life at 8X—hibiscus flea beetle

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In mid-August I visited Route 66 State Park along the Meramec River in east-central Missouri to check stands of rosemallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpus) that I had previously noticed growing in the park for the presence of the stunning jewel beetle, Agrilus concinnus. … Continue reading →

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Beetle Collecting 101: How to pin a beetle

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

It has been a long time since I initiated my Beetle Collecting 101 series (more than two years!), and to date the first issue—Beetle Collecting 101: Dress for Success—remains the one and only lesson that I’ve posted. I really had intended … Continue reading →

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

The hardest EASIEST ID Challenge in like ever!

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

This is not only the hardest ID Challenge I have ever posted, it is probably the hardest one anyone has EVER posted. I’m not going to ask for order or family because they’re so easy. I will ask for the genus, … Continue reading →

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

Why are this beetle’s elytra outstretched?

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve puzzled over the beetle in the above photo since I first saw it back in September on Day 2 of this year’s Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip. I encountered it on a dead branch of eastern red-cedar (Juniperus virginiana) on … Continue reading →

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

How to deal with a crappy photo of a beautiful beetle

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

One thing I’ve discovered after trying my hand at insect macrophotography for the past three years is that I take a lot more photos than I can possibly post. As a result, I tend to focus my efforts on more … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

The Third of Florida’s Three Metallic Tiger Beetles

Posted on October 19, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

After three straight posts not about tiger beetles, I’m hoping readers will forgive my return to this fascinating group. The photos in this post represent Tetracha virginica (Virginia Metallic Tiger Beetle), the most widely distributed (at least in the U.S.) of … Continue reading →

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

Post processing—then and now

Posted on October 16, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I recently happened upon one of my first attempts at post processing a photograph of a pinned insect specimen. The subject was Anomalipus elephas (large armoured darkling beetle), a tank of an insect (this example measuring 32 mm in length) belonging to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Tiger lovin’

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

It seems I’m not the only one that finds tiger beetles irresistible. Gorgeous colors, long legs, and big eyes, they captivate me endlessly with their big, toothy jaws and charismatic behaviors. I blather incessantly about them, but today I’m going to do … Continue reading →

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