ONH

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  • Content Slide
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    1 - Oregon Tiger Beetle Larva. Cicindela oregona oregona.

    06/17/2008 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    2 - Oregon Tiger Beetle Larva.

    05/22/2009 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    3 - Oregon Tiger Beetle Larva fished out of its hole with a blade of grass.

    06/17/2008 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    4 - Oregon Tiger Beetle Larva side view.

    06/17/2008 Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    5 - Oregon Tiger Beetle Larva close up of head.

    Specimen collected at the Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    6 - Oregon Tiger Beetle larvae have two forward-pointing spines that anchor them in their hole.

    Specimen collected at the Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

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    7 - Oregon Tiger Beetle larvae abdominal spines side view.

    Specimen collected at the Mouth of the Elwha River, Port Angeles, Washington

  • Content Slide

8 - Oregon Tiger Beetle larva returns to the mouth of its hole.

Tiger beetle larvae go through several instars, getting larger each time. They dig a hole in the sand—in these observations, mostly in slightly moist sand—and lie in wait for prey to wander by. The head and a thoracic shield fill the circular hole.

One abdominal segment is expanded and bears two large spines to anchor the larva in the hole.
This structure probably allows the larva to resist being pulled out of the hole, but more importantly, allows it to jerk the head—and the prey—into the hole.

When disturbed, the larvae disappear into the hole, only to emerge a few seconds later.

Taking a cue from a bugguide.net page, I used a grass stem to fish a larva from a hole, photographed it on site and brought it home to photograph in the studio (slidea 5-7). This instar is about 1.8 cm in length.

Note that I have named these larva images based on the adult tiger beetles seen in this location. I have only one photo of any species other than Cicindela oregona oregona in this location, at the mouth of the Elwha River. I have not identified the larvae independently.