Category Archives: Coleoptera

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

Chrysobothris viridiceps

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite their general popularity among beetle collectors, jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) have an admittedly deserved reputation for difficult taxonomy. Part of the reason for this is the existence of several highly speciose genera. In North America, for example, nearly half of its … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Tiger beetles in southeast Missouri

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Volume 43(3) of the journal CICINDELA was published a few weeks ago, and I can truly lay more claim to the issue than anybody else (except perhaps Managing Editor Ron Huber). In addition to having one of my photos (a … Continue reading →

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

The World’s Largest Tiger Beetle

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Some of the first residents of my new insect cabinets (see MacRae Entomology Museum Expansion) are also among the newest specimens in my collection. Not long ago I received a box from world tiger beetle expert David Brzoska, who had carefully chosen … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 27 Comments

MacRae Entomology Museum Expansion

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Every five years or so I find myself facing the same dilemma—too many bugs and not enough space to keep them. Each time this occurs, I go through the same thought process trying to decide the best way to solve … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Pollen Bath

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the smallest insects I saw during my latest visit to La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina) was this tiny leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae) feeding in the flower of a malvaceous plant that I take to be Abutilon pauciflorum. At only ~4 mm in … Continue reading →

Posted in Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

A Living Jewel – Madecassia rothschildi

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In North America, beetles in the family Buprestidae are commonly referred to as “metallic woodboring beetles.” This may be a perfectly adequate name—accurate and descriptive, but it’s also a bit dry and not terribly imaginative. Personally, I much prefer the moniker given to these beetles by … Continue reading →

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

Another cover photo

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Issue 43(4) of Cicindela (A quarterly journal devoted to Cicindelidae) is now hitting mailboxes (my copy arrived earlier this week), and for the second issue in a row the cover features one of my tiger beetle photos. Gracing the cover this time is … Continue reading →

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

Return to Calico Rock

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Although western sand dune endemics were the top goals on my cicindelophilic wish list during last fall’s Annual Tiger Beetle Trip, I started the trip by leaving St. Louis in the most unlikeliest of directions—south! No, I wasn’t trying to get to Denver … Continue reading →

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