Tag Archives: entomology

North America’s most beautiful tiger beetle

Posted on October 27, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Five years ago this month, I got my first glimpse of North America’s most beautiful tiger – Cicindela pulchra.  This is not just my opinion – its name, given to it by Father-of-North-American-entomology Thomas Say, literally translates to “beautiful tiger beetle.” … Continue reading →

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

Phreaky Phalangid

Posted on October 25, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

While searching through shortgrass prairie atop the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska in hopes of finding Cicindela nebraskana (prairie long-lipped tiger beetle), this harvestman caught my eye.  Harvestmen are, of course, arachnids related to spiders, but they lack fangs and … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Opiliones | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Euhagena nebraskae… again

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Earlier this year I showed a photograph of a mating pair of the clearwing moth (family Sesiidae) species, Euhagena nebraskae – seen last year in the Gypsum Hills of south-central Kansas on a cold, early-October day.  It was an okay photograph, … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Sesiidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 12 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