The Elusive Tiger Beetle

Picture This...

     You are camping in northern California on the side of a gorgeous mountain peak, covered by the incredible canopy of the redwood forest. When gazing at the stars beneath the clear sky, aside an embering campfire, you happen to notice a small black beetle scurry arcoss the brush. A few seconds later another black beetle passes through and grasps a smaller insect. The question passes through your head, what is this little noctornal beetle and what is this insect called? 

      When talking about the night stalking tiger beetle well known scientist, research associate at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleomtology and the E.H. Strickland Entomology Museum John Acorn said it best in his book Tiger Beetles of Alberta: Killers on the Clay, Stalkers on the Sand (Acorn 2001). This organism remains one of the least known species of all North American tiger beetles. Tiger beetles are found world wide with over 2,000 known species, with 100 species found in North America, and the Omus californicus is found primarily in California and southern Oregon. Omus californicus is part of the Genus Omus, a group of nocturnal flightless tiger beetles. With knowledge that tiger beetles are known to be some of the fastest land living arthropeds on earth, this benificial insect is used as an bioindecator to determine the health of an ecosystem because it is both a predator and prey.

      This website will help to enrich your knowledge about this unique organism, the California Night-stalking Tiger Beetle, that might not always be seen; however, this little critter is a vital aspect which heavily contributes to an ecomsytem to ensure a properly functioning habitat. Hopefully after looking at this website you will be able to identify this little creature, know some information about the beetle, spread this knowledge to friends. Feel free to check out other websties at MultipleOrganisms.net.

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