Category Archives: Arthropoda

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

The most common beetle in Argentina

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I don’t know if this is truly the case, but Astylus atromaculatus (family Melyridae) is one of only a few beetles in the country that actually has two Spanish common names—”astylus moteado” and “siete de oro” (meaning “spotted astylus” and “seven of gold”, both … Continue reading →

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

Eriopis connexa on soybean in Argentina

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Congratulations to those of you who correctly guessed the identity of the “subject” in ID Challenge #16 as the ladybird beetle Eriopis connexa (family Coccinellidae). This is one of the most common ladybird beetles in Argentina, and during the past … Continue reading →

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

Lord of the flies!

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I happened upon a rather interesting scene last week in a soybean field in northern Argentina (Chaco Province). This assassin bug (family Reduviidae) had captured and was feeding on an adult stink bug of the species Piezodorus guildinii—an important pest of soybean … Continue reading →

Posted in Chloropidae, Diptera, Hemiptera, Milichiideae, Pentatomidae, Reduviidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Sharpshooter

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

With around 20,000 species worldwide, leafhoppers (family Cicadellidae) are not only the largest family of true bugs (order Hemiptera) but also one of the top ten largest families of all insects. My favorite are “sharpshooters” (subfamily Cicadellinae)—large, distinctive, brightly colored species, … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | 1 Comment

Tucuras, langostas, y saltamontes

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Tucuras, langostas, and saltamontes are names in Argentina for what we in North America call grasshoppers (order Orthoptera, superfamily Acridoidea). Argentina certainly has its share of species, some of which can only be described as “gigantes”! During my first week … Continue reading →

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

Crazy Eyes 2

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

While the eyes of this female horse fly (family Tabanidae) aren’t quite as striking as those of Tabanus lineolus (the wonderfully dimorphic males and females of which were made famous by Thomas Shahan and Ralph Holzehthal), they still managed to catch my eye as … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Tabanidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The “Big 3” of corn in Argentina

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

While leafcutter ants are one of the more unusual pests that Argentina corn farmers must deal with, the three most important confront farmers throughout the Western Hemisphere: stalk borers, earworms, and armyworms. In the U.S. the primary stalk boring pest of … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Noctuidae | Tagged , , , , | 8 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