Tiger Beetle
Family Cicindelidae
Running So Fast They Go Blind
Tiger Beetles are so fast (moving at 9 km/h) that their eyes cannot process light quickly enough. They literally run into a state of temporary blindness and have to stop for a millisecond to "re-glow" their vision and find their prey again.
Sun-Lovers
Tiger Beetles are "heliophilic," meaning they love the sun. They use the sunlight to "warm up" their engines; the hotter they get, the faster they can run and hunt.
Beach Guardians
In many parts of the world, Tiger Beetles are "indicator species." If the beach or forest is healthy and clean, the "glowing" Tiger Beetles will be there; if it’s polluted, they disappear.
Field notes
| Range | Global |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 1 to 2 years |
| Size | 1 cm to 2.5 cm (0.4 to 1 inch) |
| Weight | Approximately 0.05 g to 0.15 g |
| Colour | Metallic Iridescence |
| Diet | Hyper-Carnivorous |
| Family | About 2,800 species identified worldwide |
In the book
The Tiger Beetle is number 90 of the 101 creatures in Glowing Bugs. Its two pages show it from three sides, at its true size, with a map of where it lives. The plate is an artistic interpretation and does not show the true colours of the living animal.
