Category Archives: Hymenoptera

Ants, bees, sawflies, wasps. About 125,000 species worldwide. Biology is diverse: phytophagy, parasitism, predation, gall forming. Parthenogenesis is universal – diploid females and haploid males.

Maddening mutillid

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

During my stay in Corrientes, Argentina, I had two distinct biomes to explore—the relatively moist “Selva Paraguayense” to the east in Corrientes Province (a southern adjunct to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, and home to the cryptic longhorned beetle … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymenoptera, Mutillidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Pseudomyrmex in Corrientes, Argentina

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Early April is early autumn in northeastern Argentina, but seasons just south of the Tropic of Capricorn bear little resemblance to the well-defined spring, summer, fall and winter that we are accustomed to in eastern North America. Early fall here is … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Leafcutter ants on corn

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

North American corn farmers certainly have their share of insect pests to worry about. Between corn borer, earworm, armyworm, and rootworm, there isn’t much of the plant that isn’t vulnerable to attack by at least one of these insects. Argentina … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

The Methocha

Posted on October 10, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As pointed out in my recent post, Bee Fly Parasitism of Tetracha virginica, there is much to learn still regarding tiger beetle larval parasitoids. In addition to bee flies (order Diptera, family Bombyliidae) of the genus Anthrax, tiphiid wasps (order … Continue reading →

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

BugShot 2011 – Final Thoughts

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As I suspected would be the case, ID Challenge #11 has proven to be an especially difficult challenge.  As a result, instead of posting the answer tonight I’m going to give folks another day to make their play for points (remember, nobody walks … Continue reading →

Posted in Apidae, Arachnida, Araneae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Predator or Prey?

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Everyone knows that tiger beetles are predators, but look closely at the underside of the head of this female Ellipsoptera hamata lacerata (Gulf Beach Tiger Beetle), photographed in a coastal marsh in Dixie Co., Florida earlier this month.  See the ant head attached by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera, Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Predator Satiation

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve probably used the term predator satiation more often during the past couple of weeks than I have during the entire rest of my life.  Students of ecology know this as an antipredator adaptation in which prey occur at such high population … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicadidae, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Vespidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Sawfly larva – Periclista sp.

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As I was photographing spring coralroot orchids in my front yard, I noticed a small green object clinging to the underside of one of the flowers.  Zooming in with the camera lens revealed the object to be a caterpillar, but this was no … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments