MObugs: Unknown Tiger Beetle--Ted this one is for you.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Unknown Tiger Beetle--Ted this one is for you.

While in Fillmore, MO today I decided to do some bug hunting with the camera. Joey spotted this pretty tiger beetle. I managed to get a few pictures of it before it disappeared. True to their nature they are difficult subjects. Very quick and flighty. Ted this is a shout out to you, do you know which one this is? I thought it was the Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle but there are no visible spots that I can see. It was roughly 1/2 inch long, bright iridescent green and blue legs.

4 comments:

MoeMay 26, 2009 at 9:38 AM
Ever since I started reading Ted's blog I've been interested in finding some tiger beetles. Never have..yet!
ReplyDelete
Replies
Shelly CoxMay 26, 2009 at 10:27 AM
I see the six-spotted tiger beetle quite a bit in our area. I've found a few other species such as the sidewalk tiger beetle. usually I find them in bare ground, or near the rivers in the sandy areas. I was convinced these were the Six-spotted variety, but there are no spots, other than one tiny one on the side of the elytra. Perhaps there is a variation in this species.
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousMay 29, 2009 at 11:28 PM
Hi Shelly - this is, indeed, six-spotted tiger beetle (Cicindela sexguttata). Northern populations of this species are much less maculated than further south. In Missouri, the immaculate is found in the very northern tier of counties - as you go further south they start showing some spots until you get to the Ozarks where they are fully maculated.

It's interesting, because some other tiger beetle species in the state, e.g. claybank tiger beetle (Cicindela limbalis) show the opposite trend, with southern populations less maculated than northern populations. When I first started studying the tiger beetles of the state, I made a special trip to northwest Missouri just to find these immaculate six-spotteds and fully maculate claybanks.

regards--ted
ReplyDelete
Replies
Shelly CoxMay 30, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Thanks Ted, I appreciate the info. I thought I had read somewhere that the six-spotted was highly variable with regards to their spots. I guess my instincts were right on this one. They are gorgeous beetles. My husband spotted a large beetle near our garden last night. He said it was over an inch long and bright green like the tiger beetle, he said the body was segmented as well. I looked for well over an hour last night to try and relocate it to no avail. I will keep looking. I am curious to see what it could be.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Preferred Pest Control

I don't generally promote pest control companies to my blog, but I will certainly make an exception in this case. I've know the Cooperiders since I was a little girl. They run an honest, ethical company. They will help homeowners find alternatives to their pest problems when those alternatives exist. They are as much a lover of insects and spiders as I am and fully recognize their importance in the ecosystem. However, we all know occasionally pests show up in our homes that we cannot, nor should not share space with. Click the picture above, to visit their website and locate their contact info.

The Lives of Beetles: A Natural History of Coleoptera

Wasps: The Astonishing Diversity of a Misunderstood Insect

My good friend Eric Eaton has once again written a superb book on one of his favorite subjects....insects. This time his chosen subject is wasps. If you want to add a fantastic resource to your library of natural history books, this book will not disappoint. Wasps are far more diverse than the familiar yellowjackets and hornets that harass picnickers and build nests under the eaves of our homes. These amazing, mostly solitary creatures thrive in nearly every habitat on Earth, and their influence on our lives is overwhelmingly beneficial. Wasps are agents of pest control in agriculture and gardens. They are subjects of study in medicine, engineering, and other important fields. Wasps pollinate flowers, engage in symbiotic relationships with other organisms, and create architectural masterpieces in the form of their nests.

Insectpedia: A Brief Compendium of Insect Lore

This entertaining collection celebrates the long and storied history of entomology, highlights our dependence on insects for food and ecosystem services, and explains the meaning behind various entomological terms. With Eric Eaton as your guide, you will circle the globe in search of African Toktokkies and Australian beer bottle beetles, and witness the peculiar spectacle of cricket fighting in Asia. Profiles of influential figures in entomology provide insights into the curious minds that animate this extraordinarily broad field of scientific inquiry, while the book’s portable size makes it the perfect travel companion no matter where your own entomological adventures may lead you.