Tag Archives: science

Overlooked, needle-tailed, thick-headed fly

Posted on August 14, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

While photographing the rare Typocerus deceptus on flowers of wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) at Trail of Tears State Park in southeast Missouri last June, I encountered this strange fly also visiting the hydrangea blossoms.  At first I thought it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Conopidae | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The last tiger beetle

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

Our recent discovery of Cylindera celeripes (swift tiger beetle) in Missouri was arguably the most exciting moment that I and colleague/fieldmate Chris Brown have experienced since we first began surveying the tiger beetles of Missouri back in the year 2000.  It … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Friday flower – Krameria lanceolata

Posted on August 7, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

I encountered few insects this past June on the dry slopes of sand shinnery oak shrubland that just makes it into the northwestern corner of Oklahoma’s Four Canyon Preserve – insect population levels were still depressed from the wildfire that swept … Continue reading →

Posted in Krameriaceae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

North America’s smallest cicada

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

While searching the hilltop prairies for Cylindera celeripes (swift tiger beetle) at McCormack Loess Mounds Natural Area in northwestern Missouri, I ran across a species of cicada that I’d not yet encountered in the state – Beameria venosa.  Cicadas as a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicadidae, Hemiptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on July 28, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

I’ve written quite a few posts about my June trip to northwestern Oklahoma. Four days at the ruggedly scenic Four Canyon Preserve and nearby Packsaddle Wildlife Management Area yielded a few interesting jewel beetles (though not many tiger beetles), but … Continue reading →

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

Oklahoma is for lovers

Posted on July 24, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

A few rather risqué photos from my June trip to northwestern Oklahoma. Photo details: Eleodes suturalis: Canon 100mm macro lens on Canon EOS 50D, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, f/13, MT-24EX flash 1/4 power through diffuser caps. Chrysobothris ignicollis: Canon 65mm … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Cicindelidae, Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Dromochorus pruinina in Oklahoma

Posted on July 21, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

As my colleague Chris Brown and I continue to study the tiger beetle fauna of Missouri, one of the species we have become very interested in is Dromochorus pruinina (frosted dromo tiger beetle).  This is another of North America’s more … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Typocerus deceptus in Missouri

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Ted C. MacRae

It has been fifteen years now since I published an annotated checklist of the longhorned beetles (families Cerambycidae and Disteniidae) of Missouri (MacRae 1994).  That publication (and a similar one on Buprestidae) was the product of eight years of collecting … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments