While observing the surface of the soil and gravel on the banks of a river, sometimes, there is seen a very small "ghost" that moves so fast to and fro on the ground. You must be curious to know who the "Quicksilver" is? Certainly not Pietro Maximoff!(😁😜) But at the same time, with such a fast moving or running speed, you will also very much doubt the possibility of being able to clearly see who it is!
Turns out you don't have to worry. There comes a time when it must stop. It was a beautiful tiger beetle, the Cicindela aurulenta, or the golden-spotted tiger beetle, in the family Carabidae (Ground beetle). The blue-green elytra, orange along the base and edges, with six yellowish spots, plus two similarly colored spots on the shoulders, are all that identifying marks. Elytron (plural: elytra) are wing-cases that function to protect the hindwings underneath which are used for flight. It can fly within a short range. With a body length of about 15–18 millimeters, this polychromatic beetle also has two prominent compound eyes that make it unique. The antenna is filiform (threadlike) very useful for avoiding obstacles when it is running very fast. Running very fast is the most typical way in the pursuit of prey. It is a carnivore, and is an aggressive predator.
Even though it's very aggressive and runs very fast, but like I said earlier, you don't have to worry, because there comes a time when it stops. As it ran so fast, its visual system couldn't process the image accurately. It had to stop to reset its visual system! When it stops for that purpose, of course you can clearly see this little "ghost". And one more thing, when it has to perform an important role in its life, to reproduce and maintain its survival, it must also stop, to make out with its partner. At that time you can even notice the female has a bigger abdomen than the male. You can even see the pale fine hairs on their abdomen. Is it that way and with these pictures I took, have I expressed my admiration for this natural "Quicksilver"? I guess of course!
(Reading resources : Tiger beetle; Ground beetle; Cicindela aurulenta; Elytron)
