Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

I met this shiny green guy, a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle, at the Plainsboro Preserve about 3 weeks ago. One interesting thing about them is that, despite the name, they sometimes have more or less than 6 spots (though I assume 6 spots is the most common). Though they're not very big, they do stand out when on bare ground; it looks like they're camouflaged more for being in greenery.

They are sometimes confused with the less attractive Emerald Ash Borer, a beetle that's decimating our ash trees since sneaking into the country. (They don't look terribly similar to me, though they are both small green beetles.)

The Six-spotted Tiger Beetle definitely won't hurt your ash trees (or any other vegetation) since they prey upon small arthropods instead. 

April 28, 2021 at the Plainsboro Preserve
Photo 128318894, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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