ID challenge

ID Challenge #13

/ Ted C. MacRae / 22 Comments

For this final challenge of Session #4 we have something a little different—explain the scene shown in the photo below. Your answer can be as short and concise or long and narrative as you wish—points will be awarded subjectively depending on how closely your explanation agrees with reality. Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments during the challenge period (you don’t have to be first to score points), early-bird points to those who do arrive at the correct answer before others, etc., and as always, creativity and humor are encouraged. C’mon—we’re all natural historians here, aren’t we? Let’s hear some natural history!

Explain the scene in this photo.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #12

/ Ted C. MacRae / 29 Comments

This should be a relatively easy ID Challenge compared to previous editions—2 points each for the correct order, family, genus, species, and subspecies.  Additional points will be awarded on a discretionary basis for relevant natural history comments.  Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments during the challenge period (you don’t have to be first to score points), early-bird points to those who do arrive at the correct answer before others, etc.  Ben Coulter maintains a commanding lead in BitB Challenge Session #4, but with this and one more challenges left in the current session is his lead secure?

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #11

/ Ted C. MacRae / 43 Comments

It’s time for another ID Challenge—can you name the organism(s) shown here?  I’ll give two points each for the correct order, family, genus and species.  Additional points will be awarded on a discretionary basis for relevant natural history comments.  Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments during the challenge period (you don’t have to be first to score points), early-bird points to those who do arrive at the correct answer before others, etc.  Ben Coulter has a solid lead in BitB Challenge Session #4, but there are enough challenges left in the current session that his lead is not secure—do you have what it takes to put together a run to bump him off the podium top spot?

Shaw Nature Reserve, Franklin Co., Missouri

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #10

/ Ted C. MacRae / 39 Comments

It’s time to begin Session #4 of the BitB Challenge Series.  Ben Coulter won Sessions #1 and #2 but was finally unseated by Max Barclay in Session #3.  We start Session #4 with a straight up ID Challenge.  Unlike previous ID Challenges, however, the order and family are gimmes this time, so I’m going to take them off the table and award double (4) points each for the correct genus and species (suggestion: being a stickler for details will increase your chances for full points).  Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments (to give everyone a chance to take part) and possible bonus points for being the first to guess correctly (if multiple people offer the same correct answers), offering additional relevant information, or—as always—the ability to make me chuckle.

Reminder: nobody walks away empty-handed, so it pays to try even if you think you’re stumped.  The pity points you earn in IDC#10 could make a difference in the final standings at the end of Session #4.

Good luck!


Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #9

/ Ted C. MacRae / 62 Comments

Despite the super close-up nature of the photograph in today’s challenge, this is not a crop and is thus a straight up ID Challenge (making this either a very giant insect or maximum magnification of my 65mm lens).  I’ll award 2 pts each for order, family, genus, and species.  Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments (to give everyone a chance to take part) and possible bonus points for being the first to guess correctly (in the off chance multiple people offer the same correct answers), offering suitable relevant information, or just making me chuckle.  Reminder: nobody walks away with no points, so it pays to try even if you haven’t a clue!¹

¹ If you question the importance of this, just ask Dave, whose pity points in the last challenge helped him retain sole possession of 2nd place in the overall standings.

Who am I?

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

Super Crop Challenge #5

/ Ted C. MacRae / 19 Comments

Here is the latest Super Crop Challenge – can you identify the structures and the organism (order, family, and genus) to which they belong?  Bonus points will be awarded for relevant supporting information, at my discretion.  Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments (to give everyone a chance to participate) and early submitter points for beating others to the same correct answer.  No need to look to exotic locations for the answer, it’s right here in the good ol’ USA.  I’ll follow up in a day or so.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #8

/ Ted C. MacRae / 15 Comments

It has been almost two months since the last ID Challenge and more than a month since the last challenge of any kind, thus it’s high time we kick off BitB Challenge Session .  This is a straight up identification challenge: 2 pts each for order (a gimme!), family, genus, and species.  Bonus points will be awarded for additional relevant information, but I’m going to be somewhat more selective about what I award such points for rather than just anything that happens not to be incorrect—my discretion.

Standard challenge rules apply, including moderated comments to give everyone a chance to participate.  However, starting this session there’s a twist—if multiple people answer correctly, those who submit their answers earlier get bonus points over those they beat to the punch.  The actual number of points will depend on how many correct answers there are, but I’m hoping it adds a bit of competitive urgency to the game.  We’ll see if it works.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

ID Challenge #7

/ Ted C. MacRae / 12 Comments

I hadn’t planned on doing another ID Challenge so quickly after the previous one¹; however, this critter is just too cool to keep in my pocket any longer.  Order-level identification shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, but I’ll be impressed with anyone who drills down much deeper than that – 2 pts each for correct order-, family-, genus-, and species-level identifications.  What the heck – I’ll go ahead and throw in superfamily as a points-earner as well.  Supporting information for your IDs will help your cause, and we all know my predilection for handing out bonus points on the most subjective of bases.  As always, standard ID Challenge rules apply.

¹ For those of you wondering about the recent flurry of posts, I’m on a well-earned vacation right now and have pledged to fritter away as much time on idle pursuits as possible rather than fret about accomplishing anything constructive.

Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011