Tag Archives: techniques

Something for Adrian

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

In a comment on my Buprestidae exchange post, Adrian Thysse asked to see hi-res images of specimen drawers from my own collection. Like any good North American entomologist, Adrian was a little bothered by the card-mounting technique used by the sender of the specimen … Continue reading →

Posted in Cerambycidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Buprestidae exchange

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Ted C. MacRae

With my queue of specimen identifications now clear, I can turn my attention to another major backlog that I haven’t been able to give proper attention recently—exchanges. For those of you not into insect collecting, exchanging is something that most … Continue reading →

Posted in Buprestidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

A Riot of Colors

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

For my friend Rich and I, Thanksgiving week marks the official beginning of the winter hiking season.  Fifteen years ago we began our quest to hike the entirety of the Ozark Trail, and with only ~50 of the 350 miles … Continue reading →

Posted in Fungi | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Zygogramma Desmogramma leaf beetles in Argentina

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

The east end of La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur in Buenos Aires offers a quiet contrast to the more populated central and western areas. Few people leave the levee-trail system that surrounds the famous wetlands and pampas grass stands in those latter areas; however, those that … Continue reading →

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

Return to La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Last March I discovered La Reserva Ecológica Costanera Sur—a gem of natural beauty in the heart of Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Though its origins are semi-artificial, its biota a mix of native and introduced species, and its pathways continually choked with pedestrians and … Continue reading →

Posted in Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Melyridae, Nymphalidae | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Isn’t she splendid?!

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

This gorgeous female Cicindela splendida emerged recently from one of my rearing containers.  She was one of several 3rd instar larvae that I collected this past June from their burrows in a dolomite glade in southeastern Missouri.  I had suspected they might represent this … Continue reading →

Posted in Cicindelidae, Coleoptera | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Crossidius coralinus fulgidus

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

Tiger beetles may have been the primary focus of last week’s 9-day, 10-state, 4,700-mile collecting trip; however, they were not the only beetles I was hoping to see. Longhorned beetles (family Cerambycidae) of the genus Crossidius are unusual in the family … Continue reading →

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

My Canon 8X Macro Lens

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Ted C. MacRae

For the past few months I have started routinely using extension tubes with my 100mm macro lens for photographing tiger beetles. I do this primarily because for most tiger beetles and other insects in the smallish to medium-sized range I … Continue reading →

Posted in [No taxon] | Tagged , , | 37 Comments