While walking along a sandy gravel trail a large bug flew low to the ground and landed near me. I looked down from inspecting the nearby goldenrod flowers to check to see what it was that landed. It was a tiger beetle! These beetles are fast predatory insects that can be found hunting on these types of gravel trails, sandy habitats like the beach, or stony outcroppings. I guess anywhere with flat land and open line-of-sight for them to spot prey.
Here's the one photo that turned out decent. You can make out its beautiful patterning on its abdomen. Not quite tiger stripes but close!
This was the best pic I could get of this beetle before people ran by jogging and spooked it away. Normally they are territorial and you can find them again once they come back, but the trail was busy at the moment so I let it be.
Later I found another beetle on another part of the trail (a busy bike trail) that was sunny and sandy. In its natural habitat; these love sand. It was hunting and patrolling, looking for prey. Their great eyesight, however, makes them really hard to photograph with the lens I brought today...I had to slowly inch my way closer to them...only for a biker or jogger to come by and flush the beetle away. I got some funny looks as they crazy guy taking photos of the dirt in the middle of the bike trail. But I'm used to it :)
Here is the same beetle with a dead ant it found for food. Perhaps that's why it kept coming back so I try to photograph it again. Maybe I'll bring some dead ants with me next time to lure in the tiger. This particular species is called the Bronzed Tiger Beetle (Cicindela repanda).
