Category Archives: Insecta

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

The “obscure” Dicerca

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

During my recent trip to northwestern Oklahoma, we visited Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area, a 17,000-acre chunk of land containing mixed-grass prairie, shinnery oak (Quercus havardii) shrublands, and mesic woodlands along the South Canadian River.  In one of these woodlands, I encountered a … Continue reading →

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

Treatise of Western Hemisphere “Cicindelitae”

Posted on June 17, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Tiger beetles have long enjoyed a popularity that is disproportionate to their diversity, abundance, and economic importance relative to other groups of beetles. This seems as much due to their charismatic behavior – toothy jawed predators in extreme habitats – … Continue reading →

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

Beetle News: a new, online publication

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

One of my favorite of entomology publications has always been the newsletter. Regardless of the specialty group to which they cater, newsletters usually share one, common feature – fun, easy-to-read articles about insects, techniques, collecting trips, etc., written in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pyromorpha dimidiata

Posted on June 12, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite being a coleopterist, I was somewhat surprised when I realized that I have not yet posted a Lepidoptera photo on this site – especially considering their abundance, diversity (2nd largest order of insects), and overall photogenicity.  Time to change that.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Zygaenidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Third time’s a charm!

Posted on June 10, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

This post may seem like déjà vu to some of you, as it is my third featuring our common woodland tiger beetle species, Cicindela sexguttata (six-spotted tiger beetle). However, this post is as much a photography lesson as it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Brachys on oak

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Although the beetles I photographed for my springtime Acmaeodera post are among the smaller buprestids occurring in Missouri, they are by no means the smallest. That honor belongs to the curious little genus Mastogenius, measuring only around 2 mm in … Continue reading →

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

Goldenrod Leaf Miner

Posted on June 3, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

While photographing Acmaeodera tubulus and A. ornata a couple of weekends ago (see Springtime Acmaeodera), I came across this leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae) of the genus Microrhopala¹.  When I took Systematic Entomology (so many moons ago), beetles in this and … Continue reading →

Posted in Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Springtime Acmaeodera

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Last weekend I mustered up the courage to begin experimenting with the 1-5X macro lens with my new camera. I had played around with it a little, trying to get a feel for finding the subject (it seemed hard) and … Continue reading →

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