Tetracha (Megacephala) virginica--a nocturnal tiger beetle

Description:

Tetracha virginica--a crepuscular/nocturnal tiger beetle. I've found dead specimens a couple of times, but got lucky the other day and found a live one. I was out walking the companion animal and this thing ran across the road, a Bluebird in hot pursuit. The Bluebird pecked at it, I think, then retreated. I grabbed it and got a stinky quinone-stained hand for my troubles. The thing would just not slow down for a photo--chilling just made it stagger in a drunken fashion, and then it raced around in its enclosure without stopping for half an hour. I gave it a fly larva from the compost to eat, but that made it pause briefly for a kill and then groom its mandibles in obvious distaste. Finally, I was about to release it, and jarred the container--it froze for a minute or so. From then on, I could make it freeze for a bit by tapping the container sharply. Unlike Cicindela tiger beetles, it showed no inclination to fly, and one reference I have seen says Tetracha fly infrequently, or are near flightless. Length about 19 mm.Members of this New World genus were long placed in Megacephala, and that is the listing in the Encyclopedia of Life Database. (They had been described as a New World genus Tetracha in the 19th century, then put into the Old World genus Megacephala, but recently split back out. Three papers--one genus of beetles!)This is a male--note the pads on the front tarsi.