Tag Archives: Missouri

The Marvelously Cryptic Dicerca lurida

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

This is Dicerca lurida (family Buprestidae), another of several woodboring beetle species that I found on the trunk of a large, wind-thrown mockernut hikcory (Carya alba) tree during my early April hike of the lower Wappapello Section of the Ozark Trail.  Actually, I … Continue reading →

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

Waiter, there’s a fly on my fungus…

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

On my recent season-opening-birthday-bug-collecting-trip in Sam A. Baker State Park, Rich and I happened upon a large grape (Vitis sp.) vine hanging from a tree in the bottomland forests along Big Creek. Draped over a foot-long section of the lower … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera, Drosophilidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A Horridus Birthday

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

For many years now, I’ve celebrated my birthday each year with the “season-opener-birthday-bug-collecting-trip.”  This happens regardless of what day of the week it falls (although two years ago I did get roped into a business trip – I made up … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera, Reptilia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Hitchin’ A Ride

Posted on May 10, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the more common species of longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) in Missouri, and throughout the eastern U.S., is Stenosphenus notatus.  Despite its commonness, however, it is a species that is easily overlooked because of its very early seasonality, emerging … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera, Pseudoscorpiones | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Friday Flower – Pawpaw

Posted on May 7, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

As my friend Rich and I stood in the verdent understory admiring the spectacular panicles of red buckeye punctuating the green lushness, a small brown flower on a leafless branch above me caught my eye.  “Pawpaw!” I exclaimed, perhaps partly in … Continue reading →

Posted in Annonaceae, Cerambycidae, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Papilionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Friday Flower: Red Buckeye

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

Beetles, spiders, and snakes were not the only delights that Rich and I saw as we hiked the lower stretch of the Ozark Trail’s Wappapello Section in early April.  Entering the rich, moist, east-facing slopes overlooking the Black River valley, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Hippocastanaceae, Plantae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Rough Green Snake

Posted on April 29, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

My string of good herp luck looks like it might continue in 2010.  You may recall the super-aggressive prairie rattlesnake and uncooperative dusty hognosed snake that I featured in 2008 (or not – my readership was rather minuscule back then), followed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Reptilia, Vertebrata | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

My first jumping spider

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Ted C. MacRae

As a long-time professional and avocational entomologist, I find beauty and fascination in all manner of joint-legged creatures. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and most people don’t exactly share my passion for these animals. Sure, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arachnida, Araneae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 32 Comments