Category Archives: Insecta

Insects – Collembola, Protura, Diplura, Archaeognatha, Thysanura & Pterygota (winged insects).

A “Giant” Pygmy

Not long ago, I got an email from grasshopper expert David J. Ferguson confirming my identification of Pardalophora phoenicoptera (and also encouraging my recent fascination with band-winged grasshoppers (family Acrididae, subfamily Oedepodinae) and their marvelously cryptic nymphs).  He suggested that I might … Continue reading

Posted in Orthoptera, Tetrigidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

T.G.I.Flyday – Andrenosoma fulvicaudum

First, about the name. T.G.I.Flyday is my contribution to a collusional triad between dipterist Morgan Jackson, myrmecologist Alex Wild, and myself (uhm, beetles).  Although Alex blogs primarily about ants, he has long featured a “Friday Beetle Blogging” series.  I’ve also … Continue reading

Posted in Asilidae, Diptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Sugarcane Weevil in Brazil

Brazil is one of the world’s top producers of sugarcane, and they have the Middle East to thank for it.  While the U.S. was responding to the 1973 OPEC oil embargo by building bigger and bigger SUVs, Brazil aggressively developed … Continue reading

Posted in Coleoptera, Curculionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tracking Tetraopes texanus with Terry

Last month I traveled to Starkville, Mississippi to meet with an academic cooperator at Mississippi State University.  While arranging the trip, I contacted Terry Schiefer (no, not the fashion jewelry designer, but curator at the Mississippi Entomological Museum) to let him know … Continue reading

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

Bichos Argentinos #14 – Flies!

A few miscellaneous fly photos from La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina)  taken last March.  I don’t have IDs except provisionally to family (let’s face it—flies are hard!). Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 20011

Posted in Asilidae, Calliphoridae, Diptera, Tachinidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Brazil Bugs #16 – Royal Moth Larva

I was sure Super Crop Challenge #6 would be a win for the house, but Troy Bartlett scored an impressive points sweep by correctly deducing that the structures shown were the spines of an early instar caterpillar of “something akin … Continue reading

Posted in Lepidoptera, Saturniidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Forgotten Foto Friday: Eudioctria sp.

In keeping with my recent theme featuring insects from Shaw Nature Reserve, I present here a long-forgotten photograph that I took back in May 2009.  In fact, not only was this photo taken on the maiden voyage of my Canon dSLR setup, but … Continue reading

Posted in Asilidae, Diptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Missouri hotspot for Cylindera unipunctata

Long before I began studying tiger beetles in earnest, I became aware of one of Missouri’s more interesting species—Cylindera unipunctata (one-spotted tiger beetle).  One of my favorite woodboring beetle collecting spots back in the 1980s was Pinewoods Lake Recreation Area near … Continue reading

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