Tag Archives: science

Brazil Bugs #6 – A mosca

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

As I strolled the hotel grounds here in Campinas after work one day last week, I came upon a tree with several epiphytic orchids and a large staghorn fern (Platycerium sp.) mounted to its trunk.  On the tips of several of … Continue reading →

Posted in Diptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Brazil Bugs #4 – Mais dos percevejos

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

I found mais dos percevejos (more of the leaf-footed bugs) on the still-unnamed pink flowering shrub in back of the hotel in Campinas, Brazil.  Not only am I convinced that they truly do belong to the family Coreidae (for the reasons mentioned in … Continue reading →

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

Brazil Bugs #3 – Gorgulho Enorme!

Posted on January 23, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The second night at the hotel on the outskirts of Campinas (São Paulo, Brazil), I found this enormous weevil laying on the ground underneath some windows.  It was dead but completely relaxed and in perfect shape.  I wondered if it … Continue reading →

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

Brazil Bugs #2

Posted on January 22, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

A few more photographs from this past week in Campinas, Brazil.  It rained during the afternoon but stopped by the time I arrived back at the hotel, allowing me to stroll the lavishly landscaped grounds during the mild evening hours.  There … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicadidae, Coccinelidae, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Sarcophagidae, Vespidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 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

Brazil Bugs #1

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

ID Challenge #3 update: I knew this would be a hard one, and so far nobody has figured this one out (only one commenter got the right order!).  I’ve released the comments gotten so far so you can see where things stand, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Coreidae, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 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

Diversity in Tiger Beetle Larval Burrows

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

One of the fascinating aspects of tiger beetle study is their often high degree of fidelity for specific habitats.  Some species prefer wet habitats, while others frequent the drier uplands.  Some like sand while others need clay.  Differences in salinity, vegetational cover, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 42 Comments