Tag Archives: science

Life at 8X—Bandedwinged Whitefly

Posted on October 13, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

The world of minute insects can seem strange and even bizarre when compared to our relatively giant perspective. To the unaided human eye, this bandedwinged whitefly (Trialeurodes abutiloneus), measuring only 1 mm in length, looks like nothing more than a fleck of dandruff. … Continue reading →

Posted in Aleyrodidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Tiger lovin’

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

It seems I’m not the only one that finds tiger beetles irresistible. Gorgeous colors, long legs, and big eyes, they captivate me endlessly with their big, toothy jaws and charismatic behaviors. I blather incessantly about them, but today I’m going to do … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I recently happened upon these photographs of Habroscelimorpha severa (Saltmarsh Tiger Beetle), taken in early August last year at the terminus of Florida’s famous “Road to Nowhere“. I hadn’t thought to post them afterwards because I’d already shown a photograph … Continue reading →

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae | 3 Comments

Just repanda… er, wait a minute…

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Update 10/7/12, 10:41 a.m.—Thanks to Ben Coulter, who pointed out my rather silly misidentification of these beetles that actually represent Cicindelidia ocellata rectilatera (Reticulated Tiger Beetle). I have only my failure to even consider the possibility of a southwestern species to … Continue reading →

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

Some recent publications

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve had a few papers published in recent months that may be of interest to some. After a string of papers in 2011 focused exclusively on tiger beetles (five in all), these latest three represent sort a return to my “roots”: taxonomy … Continue reading →

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

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

Consolation Crossidius

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

Rewind back to Day 2 of this year’s Annual Fall Tiger Beetle Trip at Gloss Mountain State Park in northwestern Oklahoma—these were actually the first non-Missouri beetles that I photographed on the trip. Crossidius pulchellus is a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) that … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

An uncommon fall-active Acmaeodera

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

During last week’s visit to Alabaster Caverns State Park in northeastern Oklahoma (Woodward Co.), I saw a fair number of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) representing a then-unidentified species of Acmaeodera. All of the individuals that I saw were visiting flowers of … Continue reading →

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