Sunday, 14 June 2015

Tigers In The Undergrowth

You don't have to travel abroad to find a wild Tiger. 
I have spent a small amount of time looking for Adder amongst the Bilberry and Heather of the Lancashire Moorlands, both after and before starting work. 
A few shed skins later and I feel my search is getting closer to finally witnessing the scaly serpents!
Whilst searching for the venomous beauties I spotted something moving fast on the stoney ground, a Green Tiger Beetle / Cicindela Campestris, followed swiftly by another and another!
In all honesty I had seen these beasties on Tv shows like Springwatch before but never before in the field and at first I was strangely disappointed. I had expected them to be much bigger and more imposing beetle!
It wasn't until I looked at them closely that I saw the very alien and predatory characteristics and it became evident to me, that size didn't matter.
You don't want to be a smaller insect or invert when one of these killing machines is about!
David
Female Green Tiger Beetle, on the bottom, devouring an Ant during mating.

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