Tag Archives: Missouri

“They’re baaaaack!”

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The recent run of seemingly interminable rains and HF4 tornadoes may have delayed the Annual-Birthday-First-Bug-Collecting-Trip-of-the-Year™, but it could not cancel it.  On Thursday this week, for the first time since the same time last week, a strange ball of hot gas appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicadellidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

Itty bitty tiny little flies

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Saturday was my birthday, and for most of my adult life it has been tradition to take the day off for the Annual-Birthday-First-Bug-Collecting-Trip-of-the-Year™.  At Missouri’s middlin’ latitudes, late April is normally a tad early—at least for the groups that interest … Continue reading →

Posted in Chionomidae, Diptera, Psychodidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

North America’s largest scarab beetle

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As one of North America’s largest, most written about, and most photographed beetles, Dynastes tityus (eastern Hercules beetle) hardly needs an introduction.  I photographed this male specimen from my collection back in December while testing my DIY diffuser for the MT-24EX … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Is Missouri’s disjunct population of Johnson’s tiger beetle extirpated?

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The December 2010 issue of the journal CICINDELA came out a little over a week ago. Leading off inside is the first in a series of papers that I, along with colleagues Chris Brown and Kent Fothergill, have prepared detailing … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Rush skeletonplant pea gall wasp

Posted on January 20, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The Loess Hills landform along the western edge of Iowa and extreme northwestern Missouri is home to a unique assemblage of plants and animals.  The majority of these are associated with loess hilltop prairies – grassland remnants that have their origins in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Asteraceae, Cynipidae, Hymenoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

ID Challenge #3

Posted on January 18, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

A straight-up identification challenge – see ID Challenge #2 for a detailed explanation of the rules: Photograph taken June 27, 2010 in northwestern Missouri.  Good luck! Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 2011

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , | 23 Comments

Calm waters, frenzied beetles

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The North Fork River in south-central Missouri, like most Ozark rivers and streams, flows clear and cold over gravelled bottoms. Sustained year-round by the numerous seeps and springs that result from the region’s unique Karst geology, it meanders through a mix of … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Gyrinidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

North America’s largest stag beetle

Posted on December 30, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

  Here is the full-sized photo that provided the image for yesterday’s Super Crop Challenge #3.  The insect in the photo is, of course, a fine example of a male Lucanus elaphus – the giant stag beetle (family Lucanidae).  This … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Lucanidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments