tiger beetle

Description:

The tiger beetles are a large group of beetles known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. This species is likely Calomera durvillei: http://www.papua-insects.nl/insect%20ord... from http://www.papua-insects.nl/insect%20ord... Tiger beetles often have large bulging eyes, long, slender legs and large curved mandibles. All are predatory, both as adults and as larvae. The larvae of tiger beetles live in cylindrical burrows as much as a meter deep. They are large-headed, hump-backed grubs that flip backwards to capture prey insects that wander over the ground. 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. Some tiger beetles in the tropics are arboreal, but most run on the surface of the ground. They live along sea and lake shores, on sand dunes, around playa lakebeds and on clay banks or woodland paths, being particularly fond of sandy surfaces. Tiger beetles are considered a good indicator species and have been used in ecological studies on biodiversity.

Habitat:

(Commonly) Spotted here in an unvegetated sandy area of a large semi-urban yard & garden adjacent to a disturbed patch of remnant forest.

Notes:

These creatures are almost invisible against the sandy substrate, usually detectable only from their quick, darting movements.