Description: 1/2 inch long. Order. As of 2005, about 2,600 species and subspecies were known. The six-spotted green tiger beetle is an active creature with the ability to run and fly at great speeds; this is not the case for most beetles. Some individuals may have fewer spots or no spots at all. Six-spotted tiger beetle Cicindela sexguttata. The tiger beetle, no more than a half an inch long, is a ferocious predator in the insect world. Six-spotted tiger beetle (six-spotted green tiger beetle) Class. Then with strong, powerful jaws it strikes! The larvae of tiger beetles live in cylindrical burrows as much as a meter deep. Even as a larva, it will wait for its prey, a juicy arthropod or a yummy spider, to meander close by. The beetles stay in larvae form for about one year before pupating. It then reaches the third stage, the pupa a year later. The beetle has a total lifespan of just under 5 years. During this time it goes through a complete metamorphosis. The beetles stay in larvae form for one year before pupating. The tiger beetles are a large group of beetles known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. Although they are strong enough to subdue their prey, they do not bite humans unless handled. The first is the two sickle-shaped jaws protruding from its abnormally large head, which it uses to catch prey. They are large-headed, hump-backed grubs that flip backwards to capture prey insects that wander over the ground. The Australian tiger beetle, Cicindela hudsoni, was clocked running at a remarkable 2.5 meters per second.That's the equivalent of 5.6 miles per hour and makes it the fastest running insect in the world. The large white mandibles, give these attractive insects a ferocious appearance. Watch Queue Queue Carabidae. The six-spotted green tiger beetle is an active creature with the ability to run and fly at great speeds; this is not the case for most beetles. While strolling along one of the paths of your favorite Indiana state park or reservoir this spring, take time to look around your feet. Take a minute to observe these ruthless, six-legged carnivores of the forest floor! Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle. The fastest species of tiger beetle can run at a speed of 9 km/h (5.6 mph), which, relative to its body length, is about 22 times the speed of former Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson,[1] the equivalent of a human running at 480 miles per hour (770 km/h). See if you can find one of these colorful beetles sharing the trail with you. Although they are strong enough to subdue their prey, they do not bite humans unless handled. Bright metallic green with 0-8 white spots on the edge of the wing covers (elytra). It lives along the paths of forested regions, instead of the open sandy areas where most tiger beetles are found. The entirety of the larval stage happens underground. The beetle is sexually mature in the spring, mates, and dies during the summer months. A global citizen science platform to discover, share and identify wildlife. All are predatory, both as adults and as larvae. If you want a close up photography of it without scaring it away, try not to be tall to cover most of it's sight. They are commonly found in the deciduous forests in between the Minnesota and Ontario and south to Kentucky, and are easily recognizable by their large, white, overlapping mandibles. A global citizen science platform to discover, share and identify wildlife. They can also render a painful bite to humans, so one must be careful not to make them feel threatened. This iridescent, brightly colored insect is the only tiger beetle in the North East that is shade tolerant. As with many of the 147 types of tiger beetles in the United States, this species has a two-year life cycle. Both the common name and the species name refer to the number of small white spots on the beetle's metallic-green to metallic-blue elytra, usually numbering six. The six-spotted green tiger beetle is named for its unmistakable metallic green coloration and the six yellowish spots on the back of its elytra (the hard wing covers of beetles). The females lay eggs in sandy patches, and the larvae burrow into the ground when they hatch. The brilliant colors of these particular tiger beetles makes them popular insects for observation and study. Interestingly enough, not all of them have six spots; in fact, some don't have any spots at all. There are 147 different species of tiger beetle, but this one, with its conspicuous metallic green, is the prevalent one in the region. Both the common name and the species name refer to the number of small white spots on the beetle's metallic-green to metallic-blue elytra, usually numbering six. Close up image from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:S... by AlphaWolf, ...or you can get lucky and sneak up on one while it is eating, like this: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/733.... :). The female lays eggs in individual holes in the ground during June or early July. That's pretty hard, unless you came from behind. Six-spotted Tiger Beetles live in woody places, and they like shady openings such as dirt paths and fallen logs to hunt caterpillars, ants, spiders, and many other kinds of arthropods. Cicindela sexguttata. The adult form of the beetle emerges within a month. The imago (adult) is 12–14 mm (1/2-5/8") in length, with long legs. The pupa begins to make its way out of the ground by digging toward the surface diagonally. The fast-moving adults run down their prey and are extremely fast on the wing, their reaction times being of the same order as that of common houseflies. Fast! Because these beetles are limited to very specific living conditions, changes in their population can illustrate changes that may be occurring in a region they typically inhabit. Tiger beetles often have large bulging eyes, long, slender legs and large curved mandibles. Consult. Running a close second is another Australian species, Cicindela eburneola, which ran an impressive 4.2 miles per hour. Some tiger beetles in the tropics are arboreal, but most run on the surface of the ground. Here they lie in wait until small arthropods walk by, where then the larvae pounce much like jack in the boxes. The larva resembles a caterpillar, but with two unique characteristics. Six-spotted Tiger Beetles live in woody places, and they like shady openings such as dirt paths and fallen logs to hunt caterpillars, ants, spiders, and many other kinds of arthropods. Habitat/Diet. Interesting Facts About the Tiger Beetle Here they lie in wait until small arthropods walk by, where then the larvae pounce much like jack in the boxes. The beetle has a total lifespan of just under 5 years. The first is the egg stage. The 2,600 species of tiger beetle can be found in virtually any color. Six-spotted tiger beetles live in deciduous forests and sometimes pine stands. These mandibles are similar to jaws, and are used for disabling their prey and biting potential predators. Habitat. This video is unavailable. This species is not gregarious, but sometimes many beetles may be seen in one fallen log. That's a Tiger Beetle.I know why you don't have a close up photograph of it, it's because it keeps flying away right. It is carnivorous throughout the span of its life. Tweet; Description: They are commonly found in the deciduous forests in between the Minnesota and Ontario and south to Kentucky, and are easily recognizable by their large, white, overlapping mandibles. Insecta. Nature School For Teachers - Fall 2020 Launch! All tiger beetles have six long legs, a pair of antenna, and long mandibles. Boone County KY. The large white mandibles, give these attractive insects a ferocious appearance. Nature School For Teachers - Fall 2020 Launch! Kansas Department of Agriculture Archive, Bugwood.org. This is not always true, however, as some individuals have fewer spots, or none at all. Copyright © 2020 State of Indiana - All rights reserved. The tiger beetles are a large group of beetles known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. They can also render a painful bite to humans, so one must be careful not to make them feel threatened. But when you're done reading it, click the close button in the corner to dismiss this alert. The females lay eggs in sandy patches, and the larvae burrow into the ground when they hatch. Family. This means they have four separate stages during their lifetime. The imago (adult) is 12–14 mm (1/2-5/8") in length, with long legs. The six-spotted green tiger beetle also has six yellowish spots on the back of its elytra (the hard wing covers of beetles). They are commonly found in the deciduous forests in between the Minnesota and Ontario and south to Kentucky, and are easily recognizable by their large, white, overlapping mandibles. The fastest species of tiger beetle can run at a speed of 9 km/h (5.6 mph), which, relative to its body length, is about 22 times the speed of former Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson,[1] the equivalent of a human running at 480 miles per hour (770 km/h).