Category Archives: Insecta

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

The Moth and Me #11

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Welcome to issue #11 of The Moth and Me, the monthly carnival devoted to the “forgotten” lepidopterans. Most people – even entomologists – regard these as the lesser leps, denizens of the night, as if to hide their somber-colored drabness … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctiidae, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Notodontidae, Psychidae, Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Zygaenidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Waiter, there’s a fly on my fungus…

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

On my recent season-opening-birthday-bug-collecting-trip in Sam A. Baker State Park, Rich and I happened upon a large grape (Vitis sp.) vine hanging from a tree in the bottomland forests along Big Creek. Draped over a foot-long section of the lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Drosophilidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A Horridus Birthday

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

For many years now, I’ve celebrated my birthday each year with the “season-opener-birthday-bug-collecting-trip.”  This happens regardless of what day of the week it falls (although two years ago I did get roped into a business trip – I made up … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera, Reptilia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Hitchin’ A Ride

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the more common species of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) in Missouri, and throughout the eastern U.S., is Stenosphenus notatus.  Despite its commonness, however, it is a species that is easily overlooked because of its very early seasonality, emerging … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera, Pseudoscorpiones | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Friday Flower – Pawpaw

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

As my friend Rich and I stood in the verdent understory admiring the spectacular panicles of red buckeye punctuating the green lushness, a small brown flower on a leafless branch above me caught my eye.  “Pawpaw!” I exclaimed, perhaps partly in … Continue reading →

Posted in Annonaceae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Papilionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Monday Moth – Trichaeta pterophorina

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Another photo from the South Africa files, and one that continues the mimicry theme that has been featured in several recent posts. It’s not a great photograph – the focus is off – but the colors these moths sport are … Continue reading →

Posted in Arctiidae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Pseudomethoca simillima – a model for Enoclerus ichneumoneus?

Posted on April 27, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Last week, I posted the above photograph of Enoclerus ichneumoneus (orange-banded checkered beetle) and mentioned its possibly mimetic appearance to velvet ants in the family Mutillidae (order Hymenoptera).  By some stroke of serendipity, I encountered a species of Mutillidae the very … Continue reading →

Posted in Cleridae, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Mutillidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Revision of the Formicidae of North America

Posted on April 26, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I recently came across this ant in the southeastern Missouri Ozarks sitting in a hole in the trunk of a standing dead black oak (Quercus velutinus) tree, apparently guarding the entrance to its nest. This big black ant is frequently … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 66 Comments