Category Archives: Arthropoda

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

Tiger Beetle Rearing

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

I recently found an interesting website called Tiger Beetle Rearing.  This website by doctoral candidate Rodger Gwiazdowski in the Joseph S. Elkinton lab, University of Massachusetts, Amherst contains a wealth of information and photographs covering equipment, techniques, and methods for rearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Trilogy of Terror

Posted on May 18, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Last week, Alex at myrmecos tagged me with a fun new meme called These are a few of my favorite stings…. It’s simple – list the things which have stung you (biting doesn’t count), and tag three others for their tales … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Euphorbiaceae, Formicidae, Hymenoptera, Scarabaeidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Saving endangered species with herbicides

Posted on May 15, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

The latest issue of Cicindela (a quarterly journal devoted to tiger beetles), which arrived in my mailbox last week, features an article coauthored by my good friends Kent Fothergill and Kelly Tindall of Portageville, Missouri, along with lead author Stephen Bouffard … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Now you see me…

Posted on May 11, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

…now you don’t! In a previous post, I lamented the fact that I had never actually seen a live antlion larva, or doodlebug (family Myrmeleontidae). Lovers of sand, I’ve seen their famous pitfall traps many times, especially in recent years as I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Myrmeleontidae, Neuroptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Body Invaders

Posted on May 9, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

In keeping with the parasitic theme I established in my last two posts, I happened upon this brief video promotion for a National Geographic special called In the Womb: Extreme Animals which will air this Sunday (May 10). The video … Continue reading →

Posted in Braconidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Newly emerged rabbit bot fly

Posted on May 8, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

First things first – congratulations to Mark Deering (Sophia Sachs Butterfly House, right here in St. Louis) and Rod Rood (Washington State University) for correctly identifying yesterday’s “What the heck?” as the cast puparium of an oestrid bot fly.  Mark eventually staked his claim … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Oestridae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Wednesday “What the heck?”

Posted on May 6, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

This might be the hardest nature quiz ever – I don’t think I would’ve ever figured out what this was had I not found what I did next to it.  I found it on my recent trip to look for … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Oestridae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

A festive (tiger beetle) birthday

Posted on May 3, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Last Thursday was my birthday, and as has become my custom, I took the day off and went on my ‘Annual Season Opening Birthday Bug Collecting Trip.’  One or two of you might remember how these plans were scrubbed last … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments