Machimus virginicus. We thought these were all notatus but they turned out to be this closely related species. This is a spring species that extends into summer. Very dark legged. One of the first robbers up in many areas in April in Arkansas. Likes wooded rocky habitats in my county. This is a female again with that pointy, ink-dipped abdominal tip.

This is the male Machimus virginicus. Also from Bell. The genitalia are key in the species separations. The overall gray color and orange tibias are helpful in early spring.

Machimus snowii (possibly paropus -- awaiting final speciation). An orangish-brown species which seems to stay close to wet areas. Note the dark femur with its red orange distal spot. Similar leg coloration appears in the species Machimus paropus and Machimus erythocnemius and Machimus snowii. This happy pair were mating on the litter near a cypress swamp. Machimus snowii possibly has two broods -- one in September and one in June/July.

Machimus erythrocnemius taken in Boone county. This was in the prairie area where Norm could not collect robbers. Fortunately this shot shows the spines on the profemora that define this prairie species. Note the orange and red markings on the legs as well. We don't have any collected specimens of this insect in the state otherwise.