Category Archives: Arthropoda

Arthropods – insects, arachnids, crustaceans, myriapods, & relatives

Fire ant winged reproductives: male and female

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

While in Austin at the Entomological Society of America meetings, I had the chance to tour The University of Texas at Austin’s Brackenridge Field Laboratory.  Located on 82 acres of land bordering the Colorado River, the station supports studies in biodiversity, ecosystem change and natural … Continue reading →

Posted in Formicidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

ESA Insect Macrophotography Workshop

Posted on November 13, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Today is the last day of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, and it has been an action packed week for me. Annual meetings such as this serve several purposes. In addition to seeing talks on … Continue reading →

Posted in Aeschnidae, Arachnida, Araneae, Buprestidae, Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Membracidae, Odonata, Reduviidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Darwin Beetle

Posted on November 11, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Like most modern biologists, Charles Darwin ranks high on my short list of intellectual/entomological heroes. Actually, with all due respect to others on the list—Carl Linnaeus, Alfred Russell Wallace, John Lawrence LeConte, and others, Darwin sits at #1. His theory … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Midget male meloid mates with mega mama

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

While looking for longhorned beetles in the genus Crossidius on flowers of yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) in southern Utah, I encountered one particular plant with numerous blister beetles (family Meloidae) on its blossoms. The orange color, two black pronotal spots, and distinctive black … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Meloidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

One-shot Wednesday: The “other” hibiscus jewel beetle

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

This past summer I visited Otter Slough Conservation Area in southeast Missouri in an effort to find and photograph the stunningly beautiful Agrilus concinnus Horn, or “hibiscus jewel beetle” (MacRae 2004). I was not successful in that quest, but I … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Honey Locust Borer

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Conditions for collecting didn’t look very promising when I awoke on Day 4 of my early June trip to northwestern Oklahoma. After collecting at Alabaster Caverns State Park the previous day, I had traveled a few hours further west during … Continue reading →

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

How to pack and ship pinned insect specimens

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

Even though I don’t work in a museum, sending and receiving pinned insects is a routine activity for me. As a collector of beetles with some expertise in their identification, I’ve had opportunity to exchange with or provide IDs to … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 50 Comments

GBCT Beetle #5: Crossidius coralinus monoensis

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Ted C. MacRae

After spending the first four days of our Great Basin Collecting Trip (GBCT) traveling around west-central Nevada, we dropped down into California and traveled south next to the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada towards Mono Basin. We had two goals … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments