Tag Archives: nature

Four-humped Longhorned Beetle

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

On a recent collecting trip, I went over to Chalk Bluffs Natural Area in the Mississippi Alluvial Plain of northeastern Arkansas.  My quarry was a population of Cylindera cursitans (ant-like tiger beetle) that has been reported from the site—one of the only … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

ID Challenge #9

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

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 … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , , , , , | 62 Comments

A “Giant” Pygmy

Posted on July 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Not long ago, I got an email from grasshopper expert David J. Ferguson confirming my identification of Pardalophora phoenicoptera (and also encouraging my recent fascination with band-winged grasshoppers (family Acrididae, subfamily Oedepodinae) and their marvelously cryptic nymphs).  He suggested that I might … Continue reading →

Posted in Orthoptera, Tetrigidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

T.G.I.Flyday – Andrenosoma fulvicaudum

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

First, about the name. T.G.I.Flyday is my contribution to a collusional triad between dipterist Morgan Jackson, myrmecologist Alex Wild, and myself (uhm, beetles).  Although Alex blogs primarily about ants, he has long featured a “Friday Beetle Blogging” series.  I’ve also … Continue reading →

Posted in Asilidae, Diptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Sugarcane Weevil in Brazil

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Brazil is one of the world’s top producers of sugarcane, and they have the Middle East to thank for it.  While the U.S. was responding to the 1973 OPEC oil embargo by building bigger and bigger SUVs, Brazil aggressively developed … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Curculionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tracking Tetraopes texanus with Terry

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Last month I traveled to Starkville, Mississippi to meet with an academic cooperator at Mississippi State University.  While arranging the trip, I contacted Terry Schiefer (no, not the fashion jewelry designer, but curator at the Mississippi Entomological Museum) to let him know … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Bichos Argentinos #14 – Flies!

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

A few miscellaneous fly photos from La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur (Buenos Aires, Argentina)  taken last March.  I don’t have IDs except provisionally to family (let’s face it—flies are hard!). Copyright © Ted C. MacRae 20011

Posted in Asilidae, Calliphoridae, Diptera, Tachinidae | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Brazil Bugs #16 – Royal Moth Larva

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I was sure Super Crop Challenge #6 would be a win for the house, but Troy Bartlett scored an impressive points sweep by correctly deducing that the structures shown were the spines of an early instar caterpillar of “something akin … Continue reading →

Posted in Lepidoptera, Saturniidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments