Friday, May 3, 2013

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle

The Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle, Cicindela sexguttata, is a critter I see pretty regularly on Cacapon Mountain. SHINY!
Each larva stays in its burrow until the following year. In July it changes into a pupa (resting stage). Pupae hatch into adults in August.

Adult Six-spotted Tiger Beetles spend the day looking for food, then return to their burrow (the same one they were a larva and pupa in) at night. Adults also spend the winter in their burrows.




Mouse over pics for captions, and click them for larger versions.
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7 comments:

Randal Graves said...

Easily distracted by shiny things you are.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Did you say something?...OH LOOK!!!
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Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

It's gorgeous... that color doesn't seem real!

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

Here's a couple more tiger beetle links:

Nice photo

Scientists who study tiger beetles give them names like Splendid, Cowpath, Hairy-necked, Pan-American Big-headed, Senile, Lustrous Night-stalking, Dispirited, Blowout, Punctured, Scabrous, Ocellated, Glittering, Festive, and Elusive Tiger Beetles which suggests that the scientists themselves are a breed apart and that their annual convention could be a real hoot.
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Jim H. said...

The emerald color seems almost unnatural. Nice capture.

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

I almost gave you a pass, nonny.

Youve got an awful lot of text for only having one or two pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?

Pretty funny. But off to the spam filter with you.
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Smut Clyde said...

I see no spots and I suspect that you are making it up.
That list of tiger-beetle names is a little too late for Act like a Jack Vance Character day.