Category Archives: Diptera

Flies. About 150,000 species. Phytophagous, predaceous, or parasitic on other insects. Blood sucking species vector diseases.

Wednesday “What the heck?”

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

This might be the hardest nature quiz ever – I don’t think I would’ve ever figured out what this was had I not found what I did next to it.  I found it on my recent trip to look for … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Oestridae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

The “buzzard signal fly”

Posted on January 17, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

During our time at Geelhoutbos farm in South Africa’s Northern (now Limpopo) Province, we spent most of our time in the foothills below a magnificent north-facing escarpment of the Waterberg Mountain Range. We were here to collect Buprestidae (including the … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Platystomatidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

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

Magnificently Monstrous Muscomorphs

Posted on November 11, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

I suppose tiger beetles have gotten more than their fair share of attention here lately, so for this post I thought I’d highlight insects of a completely different group – flies! Admittedly, as a coleopterist, I tend to view flies … Continue reading →

Posted in Asilidae, Bombyliidae, Diptera, Mydidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A sand prairie autumn

Posted on October 27, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

Ask any astronomer when autumn begins, and they will likely tell you it begins at the autumnal equinox – when shortening days and lengthening nights become equal as the sun crosses over the celestial equator. According to them, fall began … Continue reading →

Posted in Ascalaphidae, Asilidae, Cicindelidae, Coleoptera, Coreidae, Crabronidae, Diptera, Fabaceae, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Myrmeleontidae, Neuroptera, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Sphecidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Collection Inventory update

Posted on October 7, 2008 by Ted C. MacRae

The more observant – and taxonomically inclined – among my readers may have noticed the sidebar item entitled, “T. C. MacRae Collection”. The links within that item lead to Google documents detailing the species in those groups of insects that … Continue reading →

Posted in Asilidae, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Mutillidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments