Category Archives: Arthropoda

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

Mite on White

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I found this velvet mite at Shaw Nature Reserve (Franklin Co.) in east-central Missouri on a trail through mesic upland forest. At 4 mm in length, this member of the superfamily Trombidioidea is a downright honker compared to most other mites. I suspect … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida | Tagged , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Sawfly larva – Periclista sp.

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As I was photographing spring coralroot orchids in my front yard, I noticed a small green object clinging to the underside of one of the flowers.  Zooming in with the camera lens revealed the object to be a caterpillar, but this was no … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Dromochorus pruinina is not extirpated in Missouri… yet!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

When Chris Brown and I began our study of Missouri tiger beetles back in 2000, our goal was simply to conduct a faunal survey of the species present in the state.  Such studies are fairly straightforward—examine specimens in the major … Continue reading →

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

Stink Bugs on Soybean in Argentina

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Despite the natural history and taxonomic focus on beetles and other insects I have adopted for this blog, I am by day an agricultural research entomologist.  For the past 15 years soybean entomology has been my focus, and there is no better … Continue reading →

Posted in Hemiptera, Pentatomidae | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

Bichos Argentinos #13 – Spotted Maize Beetle

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the most common insects encountered in agricultural fields in Argentina is Asylus atromaculatus (spotted maize beetle).  This native species can also be found further north in Bolivia and Brazil, and as implied by its common name it is frequently encountered in maize … Continue reading →

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

Bichos Argentinos #12 – Lace Bugs

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Shortly after entering La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina) during my early March visit, I noticed a fairly large patch of solanaceous-looking shrubs.  Even from a distance, I could see patterns of white stippling on the foliage immediately identifiable as signs of lace bugs, true … Continue reading →

Posted in Hemiptera, Tingidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Big, Bold, and Beautiful

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Last fall I took my younger daughter to the Al Foster Trail on the western side of Castlewood State Park, just a few miles down the road from my house.  As we walked the trail through typical bottomland forest next … Continue reading →

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

Feasting on the bounty

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Brood XIX periodical cicadas were not the only insects appearing en masse last week at Sam A. Baker State Park in Missouri’s southeastern Ozark Highlands.  As I walked the upland trail, I thought I felt ‘raindrops’ for awhile before realizing that it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Carabidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments