Tag Archives: Missouri

Black is beautiful!

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

As much love as I give to tiger beetles, I tend to be just as indifferent to the non-cicindeline ground beetles. Why this is I don’t know; ground beetles sensu lato are super diverse taxonomically, morphologically, and ecologically, and the … Continue reading →

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

Gulf Fritillary in southern Missouri

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I’m not sure, but I think this might be the first time I’ve photographed a butterfly caterpillar. Not a bad subject to start with, as few butterflies have caterpillars that are more colorful than the Gulf Fritillary, Agraulis vanillae. A common … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Life at 8X—hibiscus flea beetle

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In mid-August I visited Route 66 State Park along the Meramec River in east-central Missouri to check stands of rosemallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpus) that I had previously noticed growing in the park for the presence of the stunning jewel beetle, Agrilus concinnus. … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Beetle Collecting 101: How to pin a beetle

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

It has been a long time since I initiated my Beetle Collecting 101 series (more than two years!), and to date the first issue—Beetle Collecting 101: Dress for Success—remains the one and only lesson that I’ve posted. I really had intended … Continue reading →

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

Frustrating Emerald

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

After years in the field looking for insects, one develops an eye not only for recognizing insects but also recognizing when something doesn’t look quite right. That happened to me early this past September at a spot along the Mississippi … Continue reading →

Posted in Geometridae, Lepidoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Wasp Wednesday—Not!

Posted on October 3, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In early September, the agricultural landscape in the central U.S. awakens from its monotonous cloak of summer green and turns ablaze with a hundred shades of yellow, gold, and tawny. The “fall composites” as they are commonly called, a dazzling … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Sesiidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

9th Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip: Day 1

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Once again, I have embarked upon my Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip, this being the ninth consecutive year that I have done such a trip. Unlike previous editions, however, the quarry on Day 1 (Sept. 15) was not a tiger … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae, Asteraceae, Buprestidae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A classic fall ‘bycid

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In eastern North America, autumn is the beginning of the end for most insect groups. Preparations for winter are either complete or well underway—eggs have been laid, nests have been provisioned, and larvae (hopefully) have eaten well enough to endure … Continue reading →

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