#tiger beetle

Here some more sketches of Mueluen, my mafia boss ladybug!

A mafia boss ladybug tries to sell a termite but eventually fails.

Cicindelinae Twelve-Spotted Tiger Beetle - Cicindela duodecimguttata

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s not often this blog celebrates an occasion like this (usually it’s just the change of seasons or other specific days), but if the days align, I’m happy to make this a habit. As we enter the year of the Tiger, this week there will be 2 posts based on the namesake of this new year! And so, today we return to an insect that best exemplifies a tiger’s ferocity, hunting prowess and fearlessness: a mighty Tiger Beetle! While they lack the tiger’s stripes (and a thick fur coat) they more than earn their name from their predatory habits of spotting prey with their huge eyes, chasing it down with alarming sprint speed and then slicing it up with their sharp, sickle-shaped mandibles! They are both quick in the air and on the ground making photography difficult, but not impossible. It’s quite simply remarkable! Not merely because of their speed, but also since the run undeterred by difficult terrain such as the gravely road shown in some of these pictures. It may only be in short bursts, but that dash is more than enough to corner and catch an unsuspecting insect in much the same way a tiger would lunge after a large mammal! Well, within reason: there is a difference between active hunting vs. ambush hunting, and Ground Beetles aren’t much for ambushing.

With terrain in consideration, I do remember that the Beetles pictured here tend to use their sprinting ability more on the wooden bridge, while those on the pebbled sections of the gravel road preferred flying away from the camera. Seems these hardy joggers are also aware of the problems terrain can bring to the hunt. Not only are these insects carnivorous as adults, they have a vicious streak in their larval stages as well. Given that their metamorphosis to maturity can take 2 years, that’s a whole lots of insects to eat. If you find yourself digging in Tiger Beetle territory, you may find their grubs. While tough to identify with specificity, the grubs of Cicindelinae (the subfamily) are easy to know for sure as they have large heads relative to body size and a hooked “humpback” 5th segment on their body with they use to anchor themselves in soil or (possibly) to snatch up insects. The larvae spend their lives underground, only venturing to the surface if they need to relocate from their deep burrow. In a few years, they can successfully hunt and pupate their way into adulthood, rewarding them with longer teeth, a hard shell and swift wings! Pay close attention to those lustrous shells, as those will give you your first clues as to what Beetle you’ve found!

Pictures were taken on September 11, 2021 in Kleinburg with a Google Pixel 4. Coming on Friday, another insect with aspects of the tiger in honor of this new year! What could it be?