Category Archives: Coleoptera

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

Dromochorus pruinina is not extirpated in Missouri… yet!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

When Chris Brown and I began our study of Missouri tiger beetles back in 2000, our goal was simply to conduct a faunal survey of the species present in the state.  Such studies are fairly straightforward—examine specimens in the major … Continue reading →

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

Bichos Argentinos #13 – Spotted Maize Beetle

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the most common insects encountered in agricultural fields in Argentina is Asylus atromaculatus (spotted maize beetle).  This native species can also be found further north in Bolivia and Brazil, and as implied by its common name it is frequently encountered in maize … Continue reading →

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

Big, Bold, and Beautiful

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Last fall I took my younger daughter to the Al Foster Trail on the western side of Castlewood State Park, just a few miles down the road from my house.  As we walked the trail through typical bottomland forest next … Continue reading →

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

Feasting on the bounty

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Brood XIX periodical cicadas were not the only insects appearing en masse last week at Sam A. Baker State Park in Missouri’s southeastern Ozark Highlands.  As I walked the upland trail, I thought I felt ‘raindrops’ for awhile before realizing that it was … Continue reading →

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

Love is in the air!

Posted on May 2, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

My first tiger beetle photograph of the season. There’s nothing more adorable than Spring love! Photo details: Canon 50D w/ 100mm f2.4 macro lens (ISO 160, 1/200 sec, f/16), Canon MT-24EX twin flash w/ DIY oversized concave diffuser. Copyright © … Continue reading →

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

Bichos Argentinos #11 – Takes Two to Tango

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Another of the insects that I photographed at La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur, Buenos Aires, Argentina during my early March visit.  I found quite a few of these beetles feeding on the newly sprouting growth from cut stumps of a small, multi-stemmed tree.  At first … Continue reading →

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

Bichos Argentinos #11 – I’m out’a here!

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Neither of these photos are very good, but it’s the firefly’s fault.  I saw it last month in a soybean field in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. I got off the first shot, but the flash disturbed it and it started … Continue reading →

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

Rediscovery of Cicindela scabrosa floridana

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

In refreshing contrast to the more usually heard reports of declining and extinct species, a new paper by Dave Brzoska, Barry Knisley, and Jeffrey Slotten (Brzoska et al. 2011) announces the rediscovery of a tiger beetle previously regarded as probably extinct.  Cicindela scabrosa floridana was … Continue reading →

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