Tiger beetles are aptly named.

Oregon tiger beetle - photographed at Kentucky /Alleyne Lake Park.

There are about 120 species of tiger beetles in North America; most of them occur in western half. The one above is the Oregon tiger beetle; I have photographed this species before in northern Washington.

Tiger beetles are active hunters with strong jaws that can inflict a painful bite if you pick one up. There is a close up of the jaws in the image below (left). Picking one up in itself is an unlikely proposition though as they see well, are very fast runners, and are excellent flyers. I have never caught one by hand. A good insect net would be highly recommended and handling them with care is well warranted.


Oregon tiger beetle - Jaws that mean business (left).  A mating pair (right).

The larvae are like the adults in that they are predaceous. The difference is that they are stationary. They dig holes that they live in and lie beneath the surface in wait for passing prey. When triggered, they extend out of the hole, being careful not to leave it, and grab onto the unsuspecting creature, dragging it back into its hole. The 5th abdominal segment has backward-pointing hooks that dig into their lair, preventing them from being drawn out by the struggling prey.

Photographing them was quite the challenge.  They have very good eyesight (for a bug) and are fast both on foot and on the wing.  I had to sneak up slowly, taking small steps, all the while bending lower and lower with my macro equipment.  It took me a few dozen attempts before I had success.  However, I got some nice shots for the effort.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com


 

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