Category Archives: Arthropoda

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

An Inordinate Fondness #9

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Welcome to An Inordinate Fondness, the monthly blog carnival devoted to beetles.  I started this carnival nine months ago, hosting the inaugural issue at the home site before sending it out into the big, wide world.  Seven very capable bloggers have … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

A “leafless” leaf-footed bug

Posted on October 15, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

This is Merocoris distinctus, a true bug in the family Coreidae whose members are usually recognized by their distinctive flattened hind tibiae (and hence the common name, leaf-footed bugs). This diminutive species, however, lacks that character, instead sporting strangely curved … Continue reading →

Posted in Coreidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Saltatorial sidetracks

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

One thing I’ve realized during these past several years of fall collecting is that there are more than just tiger beetles to capture my interest as the field season enters its final days.  The late season floral burst of goldenrods … Continue reading →

Posted in Acrididae, Orthoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Missouri’s disjunct population of Cicindela obsoleta vulturina

Posted on October 10, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Although I’ve been collecting insects since I was a kid (and seriously for nearly three decades), it has only been in more recent years that fall has become an important part of the collecting season for me. With the notable … Continue reading →

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

Jeepers Creepers, where’d ya get those multilayered retinae?

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

A few weeks ago I was fortunate to get a chance to blast down to the White River Hills in extreme southwestern Missouri.  Cicindela obsoleta vulturina (prairie tiger beetle) was my quarry – I had made arrangements to meet up … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Quick Business…

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ll have a “real” post ready shortly, but I wanted to make a quick note of a few items that have popped up recently: Cylindera celeripes – this, of course, is the swift tiger beetle, a quite rare species of … Continue reading →

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

“Colorfull Cockroach” discovered in Panama

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

I won’t call this a taxonomy fail, since Patrick is clearly not a taxonomist, or even the first person to confuse a beetle with a cockroach.  Nevertheless, I was amused at Patrick’s amazement with the “colorfull cockroach” that he found … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Sweet Sixteen!

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

The 7th Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip™ is officially over – Chris and I rolled back into town a little after midnight last night. It was an amazing trip – perfect weather, unparalleled scenery, and a record-breaking 16 species of … Continue reading →

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