Tag Archives: insects

More on Chalcosyrphus

Posted on June 23, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Here are two more photos of the fly I tentatively identified as Chalcosyrphus sp. The first photo shows the all-black coloration with no trace of either steel blue highlights (seen in C. chalybea) or red abdominal markings (seen in C. piger). … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Syrphidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

T.G.I.Flyday – Chalcosyrphus?

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

When I was an entomology student, I learned that flies in the family Syrphidae are called “hover flies,” due to their habit of hovering in front of flowers, and that the larvae are predators of aphids. As is the case for … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Syrphidae | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beetle botanists

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

While Dicerca pugionata (family Buprestidae) is, for me, the most exciting beetle species that I’ve found in Missouri associated with ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius). it is not the only one. The beetles in these photographs represent Calligrapha spiraeae, the ninebark leaf beetle (family Chrysomelidae). Unlike … Continue reading →

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

Just published: Cicindela 44(1) March 2012

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Issue 44(1) of the journal Cicindela is now hitting mailboxes. This one-paper issue features an article by Chandima D. Dangalle and Nirmalie Pallewatta (University of Colombo, Sri Lanka) and Alfred P. Vogler (The Natural History Museum, London) reporting the results of a survey of tiger … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Dicerca pugionata – safe and sound!

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

One of my favorite beetle species in Missouri is Dicerca pugionata—a strikingly beautiful jewel beetle (family Buprestidae) found sporadically across the eastern U.S. Unlike most species in the genus, which breed in dead wood of various species of trees, D. pugionata … Continue reading →

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

Holy conglobulation, Batman!

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Earlier this month I made a quick trip out to California to see my good friend Chuck Bellamy receive his Honorary Membership in The Coleopterist Society. While I was there, I got a chance to spend some time with Chuck’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Blaberidae, Blattodea, Dictyoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Science Outreach in Action

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

This evening I had the distinct pleasure of presenting to the Missouri Master Naturalist™ program, a community-based natural resource education and volunteer service program for adults whose mission is to “engage Missourians in the stewardship of our state’s natural resources … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Maddening mutillid

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

During my stay in Corrientes, Argentina, I had two distinct biomes to explore—the relatively moist “Selva Paraguayense” to the east in Corrientes Province (a southern adjunct to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, and home to the cryptic longhorned beetle … Continue reading →

Posted in Hymenoptera, Mutillidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments