TIGER BEETLES

     Tiger beetles are a group of attractive, related insects that are interesting, but not well known.  Three kinds of them, including beautiful tiger beetles, six-spotted, green tiger beetles and dainty tiger beetles, live in the northeastern United States, but not often seen there.  

     Being related, adult tiger beetles have several traits and habits in common, which indicates their common ancestry.  They are all predators, feeding on small insects and spiders.  All are less than an inch long, have six long legs that allows them to run fast to track down prey, large eyes to easily see their victims, and they are camouflaged to avoid larger predators that would ingest them.  That blending in also makes them difficult for us to see in their habitats.  These beetles are also diurnal, sun-loving and have powerful, sickle-like jaws to tear apart critters they caught.

     As larvae, tiger beetles again have characteristics in common.  Females of each kind lay eggs singly in soil or sand, depending on the species.  Newly-hatched larvae burrow straight down a bit in soil or sand to create a vertical shaft to the surface.  Each S-shaped grub, with a big head, rests vertically in its burrow and waits for tiny insects and spiders to go by.  Each larva uses its powerful jaws to grab victims and pull them down into its shaft while using two hooks on its abdomen to brace itself in its hole.   There each immature tiger beetle devours its prey.  

     Each tiger beetle larvae grows to full size, then pupates in its burrow.  It later emerges from its sanctuary as an adult beetle with six legs and two wings.          

     Beautiful tiger beetles are that, with lovely, patterned chocolate-brown and beige on wing covers over their abdomens.  They live among scattered vegetation in sandy habitats where they blend in.

     Six-spotted, green tiger beetles are bright, metallic green with about four white spots on wing covers near their rear.  This is the kind of tiger beetle I'm most likely to see near home.  These attractive tiger beetles live and hunt prey along sunny, bare, woodland paths. 

     Dainty tiger beetles are pale beige-gray and live in sandy areas near beaches.  These lovely beetles are really hard to spot because of their blending in with the sand.   

     Tiger beetles are related to each other and have many traits in common.  Though not easy to see, they are enjoyable to experience when spotted, especially when running down prey.

     

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