Guide to the Elizabeth A. McMahan Entomological Research Films and Manuscripts, 1986-2005

Descriptive Summary

Repository: North Carolina State University Libraries, Special Collections Research Center
Creator: McMahan, Elizabeth
Title: Elizabeth A. McMahan Entomological Research Films and Manuscripts, 1986-2005
Call Number: MC 359
Extent: 2 linear feet, 4 archival boxes
Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Special Collections Research Center Reference Staff.
Language of Material: English

Information for Users

Restrictions to Access: This collection has restricted access. Please contact the department for more information.
Acquisitions Information: Received from Elizabeth A. McMahan, August 2004
Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], Elizabeth A. McMahan Entomological Research Films and Manuscripts, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
Copyright Notice: The nature of the NCSU Libraries' Special Collections means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The NCSU Libraries claims only physical ownership of most Special Collections materials.

The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Use Restrictions: Use copies required for viewing. Please contact the department for more information.

Biographical Note

Entomologist Elizabeth A. "Betty" McMahan, best known for her study of assassin bugs, was born in Pino, North Carolina. Intending to become a high school science teacher, McMahan attended Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., after leaving Pino. While at Appalachian State, a faculty advisor introduced McMahan to parapsychology, and she transferred to Duke University in order to work with J. B. Rhine. From 1943 to 1954, McMahan completed her B.A. and M.A. in psychology and published nine papers.

In 1954, McMahan decided to pursue a degree in entomology. She studied termites at the University of Hawaii, receiving her Ph.D. in 1960. She completed post-doctoral work at the University of Chicago and then took a teaching job at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she taught for 26 years.

McMahan's research took her all over the world, including Australia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Panama, and Ecuador. While in Costa Rica in 1980, McMahan discovered that assassin bugs (Salyavata variegata) used tools in order to catch food. She published articles about the insects in several scientific journals and videotaped the food-catching process for the BBC documentary "Alien Empire."

After retiring, McMahan became a professor emerita at UNC. She taught in Jamaica as a Peace Corps volunteer and also became a children's book author. A collection of her books is located at the North Carolina Collection at UNC.

In 2003, Dutch taxonomist Pieter van Doesburg named a newly classified species of the assassin bug after McMahan, Salyavata MacMahanae. In 2004, McMahan's friend and colleague Christine Nalepa established the Elizabeth A. McMahan Endowment at North Carolina State University. This endowment enhances the libraries' entomological collections.

Scope and Content Note

The Elizabeth A. McMahan Entomological Research Films and Manuscripts collection consists of 22 reels of 8mm film documenting McMahan's research on the assassin bug (Salyavata variegata) in La Selva, Costa Rica. These insects use dead termites as bait in order to catch other termites, a technique similar to fishing. The films depict various stages of this process, such as the assassin bug waiting outside a termite hole with his bait, the assassin bug catching termites with the bait, and the assassin bug returning to the hole to catch more termites. Some of the films show unsuccessful baiting attempts. Others show McMahan destroying a nest in order to find the royal chamber.

McMahan indicated Reels #1-2, #2-1, #2-2, #2-3, Assassins of La Selva #2-1200 Reel 1, and Assassins of La Selva #2-1200 Reel 3 are the most important. The descriptions for these reels are identified in bold below.

The collection also includes illustrated, self-published manuscripts, including a children's book as well as autobiographical writings.

Organization of the Collection

The films are stored on 400-foot reels. McMahan stated that these films used to be on 1200-foot reels and have since been divided. Therefore Films #1-2 and #1-3 belong together, Films #2-1, #2-2, and #2-3 belong together, Assassins of La Selva 400 Reel 1 and Reels 5-12 belong together, Assassins of La Selva #1-200 Reels 1-3 belong together, Assassins of La Selva #2-1200 Reels 1 and 3 belong together, and Assassins of La Selva #3-1200 Reels 1-3 belong together.

The descriptions for the reels listed below are the descriptions McMahan wrote on the reel labels. They have been transcribed as accurately as possible.

Online Catalog Terms

Personal Names

McMahan, Elizabeth A.

Topics

Assassin bugs
Salvayata variegata
Termites
Entomology

Geographic Names

Estación Biológica La Selva (Costa Rica)

Related Material

Detailed Description of the Collection

Films, 1986

1.5 linear feet, 3 archival boxes

Films, 1986	[Box 1]

Film #1-2, 1986
5th instar sits beside hole w/carcass at edge. Uses as baffle & as bait. Catches new W.

Copy 1, Baiting, 5th instar
Film #1-3, 1986
5th instar angles for termites; film, very indistinct but bug catches 2 W's in sequence. La Selva, Costa, Rica, EA McMahan

Copy 1, Baiting, 5th instar

Film #2-1, 1986
(from 1200 ft. reel) 3rd instar baiting indistinct. Catches 1 W & feeds. Returns to hole w/carcass & baits. No W's attach.

3rd instar Salvayata variegata catches termite works at nest repair site. Took it some distance to feed. Termites repairing hole in nest. Returns w/carcass to hole. Soldiers active. Reel ends before baiting successful. E McMahan #1 La Selva, Costa Rica 1986

Copy 1, Baiting, Bug 3rd instar.

Film #2-2, 1986 (from 1200 ft. reel) 3rd instar baits out 2 Ws in sequence. Beak insertion shown. Best angling at end. Bug pulling worker out of hole in termite mound. Inserts beak behind head. Feeding takes several minutes. Draws another worker out of hole. Film ended. S. variegata. E McMahan/John Stokes, photog. La Selva, Costa Rica. 1986. #2 Copy 1, Baiting, 3rd instar

Film #2-3, 1986
3rd instar baits out another W. Best of sequence probably (but indistinct). Third reel of 1200 ft. sequence.

#3 Salyavata variegata 3rd instar. Third reel in baiting sequence. Takes caught worker away from hole to feed. Termite workers at hole take in carcasses at rim of hole. Assassin bug brings carcass back to hole. Jerks. Worker takes hold of carcass. Bug seizes worker. Takes it off for feeding. EA McMahan/John Stokes, photog. La Selva, Costa Rica. 1986.

Copy 1, Baiting, 3rd instar

Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 1, May 1986
Two captures (by a 1st & a 4th? instar) but no baiting. Too dark (& out of focus in some cases).
Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 5, May 1986
Futile attempts to get bugs to bait. Several were tried. All uncooperative. Fuzzy film. (plus or minus 3 ft. length of film at beginning)
Assassins of La Selva, Reel 6, May 1986
Uncooperative bugs. Camouflage w/whole spots.

Films, 1986 [Box 2]
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 7, May 1986
  Adult bug. Wouldn't feed. Several good dorsal views as it sat on nest. Focused & brighter.
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 8, May 1986
  Adult bug. Uncooperative re termites but some good (inactive) dorsal shots.
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 9, May 1986
  Uncoop. juvenile bug. EMcM shaving off layers of nest to find royal chamber. Roiling masses of termites (incl. Alates).
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 10, May 1986
  EMcM demolishing nest. Plastic ground sheet w/termites & carton. Nursery area w/egg clots & larvae. Hard nest carton.
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 11, May 1986
  EMcM continues to demolish nest. Bashes w/crow bar & saws with coping saw. Royal chamber found. No reproductives.
- Assassins of La Selva, 400 Reel 12, May 1986
  Last reel of EMcM demolishing nest down to last crumbs. Used screw driver & Swiss army knife. Alates
- Assassins of La Selva, #1-1200 Reel 1, May 1986
  Assassin bug stands just below hole; termites repairing. Appears to be trying to catch first prey.
- Assassins of La Selva, #1-1200 Reel 2, May 1986
  Salyavata variegata. Bug baiting (view from directly above). Side view of bug baiting. Carcass of W on side of nest below.

Films, 1986	[ Box 3]

Assassins of La Selva, #1-1200 Reel 3, May 1986
Bug fishing in active termite hole. Workers refuse to try to draw it inside. Reel ends before baiting is successful.

Assassins of La Selva, #2-1200 Reel 1, May 1986
2. Bug catches termite at repair site. 3. Takes termite back to hole. 1. Hole made in surface. Termites emerge.

Bug (Salyavata variegata) stands at hole in termite mound. Catches worker & pulls it out. Goes off to side to feed. Turns carcass about in feeding. Takes carcass to hole & shakes it but termite workers won't take it; maybe because fecal droplets have been deposited on it by other workers. A soldier is much interested. (La Selva Costa Rica)

Assassins of La Selva, #2-1200 Reel 3, May 1986
Bug baits. Pulls out W. Carries it away.
Assassins of La Selva, #3-1200, Reel 1, May 1986
Soldier outpouring. 1 uncoop. bug in last few frames.
Assassins of La Selva, #3-1200, Reel 2, May 1986
Hole repair & uncooperative bugs. Out of focus mostly.
Assassins of La Selva, #3-1200, Reel 3, May 1986
Unsuccessful bugs (uncoop.) S's rushing from new breach. Alates & workers.

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Manuscripts, 1990-2005, undated

0.5 linear feet, 1 archival box

This series contains illustrated, self-published manuscripts that Elizabeth McMahan wrote for her nieces and nephews. One is a children's book and the other four are autobiographical writings.
- McMahan, Elizabeth A. "Mr. Piccalilly's Fantastic Machine" [MC 359 Box 4, Folder 1]
- McMahan, Elizabeth A. "Heart and Nerve and Sinew or Aunt Betty's Around-the-World Adventures," 1990 [MC 359 Box 4, Folder 2]
- McMahan, Elizabeth A. "Warming Both Hands Before the Fires of Life," Vol. I, 2005 [MC 359 Box 4, Folder 3]
- McMahan, Elizabeth A. "Warming Both Hands Before the Fires of Life," Vol. II, 2005 [MC 359 Box 4, Folder 4]
- McMahan, Elizabeth A. "Warming Both Hands Before the Fires of Life," Vol. III, 2005 [MC 359 Box 4, Folder 5]
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