Tag Archives: beetles

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Entomology is, of course, a wide and varied discipline that touches any number of human endeavors – from the practical (agriculture, food production, public health) to the esoteric (genetics, ecology, cultural symbolism).  Despite this far-reach, however, entomologists themselves are not … Continue reading

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , | 34 Comments

Vicarious Friday Beetle Blogging

Despite the fact that I have a beetle blog and Alex has an ant blog, it is the latter where the regular series Friday Beetle Blogging resides (hmm, I wonder if I should start a Myrmecine Monday series?).  Alex has perhaps … Continue reading

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

Hunting the Great Plains giant tiger beetle

In the early 1980s, I was a young, green entomologist, fresh out of school with a budding interest in beetle taxonomy, a zeal for collecting, and a desire to meet other like-minded individuals. Among the first collectors I had the … Continue reading

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Amblycheila success!

I love it when a plan comes together! Another one was caught after these photos for a total of five individuals. They’ve been setup for now in a container of native soil. I hope you’ll forgive these rather rushed photos … Continue reading

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The Power of Impulse

Since figuring out a couple weeks that I had the larva of North America’s largest tiger beetle (Amblycheila cylindriformis, or Great Plains giant tiger beetle) in a rearing tub in the lab, I haven’t been able to think about anything except how … Continue reading

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Call for paratypes!

Earlier this year, I featured this small jewel beetle in the genus Acmaeodera (family Buprestidae).  It was collected a few years ago in southeastern Arizona by my hymenopterist friend Mike Arduser, who over the years has given me a great variety … Continue reading

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Typocerus lugubris

Members of the genus Typocerus are among the more commonly encountered species of the so-called “flower longhorns” (family Cerambycidae, subfamily Lepturinae) in eastern North America. In addition to the narrow-necked, broad-shouldered appearance characteristic for the subfamily, species in this genus … Continue reading

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Nomenclatural changes in Phymatodes

I’ve mentioned before the considerable taxonomic challenges facing students of the family Buprestidae (jewel beetles) in North America, owing largely to fact that more than half of its species are assigned to one of just three hyper-diverse genera (Acmaeodera, Agrilus, … Continue reading

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