Saturday, July 30, 2005

false-color-Hemorrhagica


false-color-Hemorrhagica
Originally uploaded by tardigrade.
This is Cicindela hemorrhagica hemorrhagica. He is very small for his species. This false color image shows that he not only has torn connections to his left outer wing, which causes it to stick out, but he also has damage to the right side of his elytra and flight wings. If you look to the top outer wing covering, there is a gash. This is a typical 'cut' from a tiger beetle. Many times tigers flip their prey over and make a slice in their abdomen. If the insect (or other arthropod) is a strong fighter then the tiger may go for what ever is available.

I found this tiger yesterday running near a spot where tigers were not reported. He was in an area where leaf cutter bees were stocking their individual hives (holes in the ground) in the sand. This tiger had been in a fight - most probably with a larger more aggressive tiger and could not fly. I caught him with my hand and put him in a glassine bag - as I always do. In a short time, I noticed a tiger with a red abdomen running under my feet... Some how this little spunky guy wiggled his way out of his container jumped out of my breast pocket and was trying to get away through the salicornia.

His red abdomen gave him away. He bit me through out his confrontation. What a great little fighter he is!

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