Category Archives: Arthropoda

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

To the land of Gauchos

Posted on February 26, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Today I leave for an extended stay in Argentina. Many have asked me if my trip is for work or fun, and my standard response has been, “It’s for work, and it will be fun!” For the next eight weeks, … Continue reading →

Posted in Coreidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Chrysobothris viridiceps

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite their general popularity among beetle collectors, jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) have an admittedly deserved reputation for difficult taxonomy. Part of the reason for this is the existence of several highly speciose genera. In North America, for example, nearly half of its … Continue reading →

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

Grampus and go-devil

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Ever taken a close look at a female dobsonfly’s head? Female dobsonflys don’t get nearly as much attention as the males due to the latter’s ridiculously elongated mandibles. While female mandibles are more modestly proportioned, don’t think they’re ineffectual—females are … Continue reading →

Posted in Corydalidae, Neuroptera | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Tiger beetles in southeast Missouri

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Volume 43(3) of the journal CICINDELA was published a few weeks ago, and I can truly lay more claim to the issue than anybody else (except perhaps Managing Editor Ron Huber). In addition to having one of my photos (a … Continue reading →

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

The World’s Largest Tiger Beetle

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Some of the first residents of my new insect cabinets (see MacRae Entomology Museum Expansion) are also among the newest specimens in my collection. Not long ago I received a box from world tiger beetle expert David Brzoska, who had carefully chosen … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 27 Comments

Of Bots and Warbles

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Chris Brown

As an undergraduate at Truman State University during the mid-90’s I was part of a small mammal research group led by Dr. Scott Ellis.  My focus was on flying squirrels, but others in the group studied mice.  There were always … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Oestridae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

MacRae Entomology Museum Expansion

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Every five years or so I find myself facing the same dilemma—too many bugs and not enough space to keep them. Each time this occurs, I go through the same thought process trying to decide the best way to solve … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Pollen Bath

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the smallest insects I saw during my latest visit to La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina) was this tiny leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae) feeding in the flower of a malvaceous plant that I take to be Abutilon pauciflorum. At only ~4 mm in … Continue reading →

Posted in Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments