"Every year, I give myself the gift of a new adventure, exploring the world nature has painted."
— Unknown
December tiptoed in with a delicate dusting of snow, yet I won't dwell on it — it melted, leaving our fields to revert back to their familiar brown.Instead, I'll share reflections on the 2023 Tiger Beetle Season. This year held its own charm, though it didn't quite match the richness of previous seasons. I opted out of visiting Necedah NWR for Northern Barrens due to the overwhelming presence of ticks, and alas, my ventures at Spring Green Preserve didn't yield an encounter with a Common Claybank. My explorations bypassed Bloomer and the Chequamegon for Cowpath and Long-lipped beetles, focusing predominantly on Sauk and Dane County species. However, a delightful exception emerged in the form of a solitary Twelve-spotted discovery at Seagull Bar State Natural Area in Marinette.
By early spring, when temperatures climbed into the 60s, Festive, Oblique-lined, and Big Sand Tiger Beetles began to emerge from their underground pupal cases. Spring marks the beginning of their active adult life, focusing on finding mates, feeding, establishing territories (if applicable), and contributing to the reproductive cycle by laying eggs in suitable habitat. And naturally, they must feed to support their metabolism to do all of these important things.
Come May, when things heat up a little more, Bronzed Tiger Beetles emerge ...
Often in unison with Six-spotted ...
This shot is from a series that's one of my favorite tiger beetle sessions of 2023 — having a tiger beetle hunt on a habitat of dead leaves rendered a unique photo opportunity for this species. It isn't unheard of, but I generally encounter Six-spotteds on rocks, dirt, or sand. Pope Farm Conservancy, conveniently located near my apartment, remains the prime spot for capturing high-quality portraits of this particular species.
I generally find Punctured and Ghost Tiger Beetles mid to late June at the Sauk Prairie Recreational Area, which has become one of my favorite insecting haunts. Sadly, it was a down season for Ghosts, as I only found them during a single outing and their numbers were unusually low. Hopefully this was just a down year (cyclical thing) and they'll emerge in higher numbers next spring/summer.
Hairy-necked Tiger Beetles were abundant at the Arena Boat Landing again, but their numbers were also a bit lower than the previous season.
While never plentiful, I found only a single Sandy-stream Tiger Beetle at the Sauk Canoe Launch this summer. Thankfully, I have a backup location for this species, which I did not visit in 2023.
This next photograph is my favorite of the year — a Splendid Tiger Beetle posing stoically on a rock during the late summer season at Spring Green Preserve.
Usually I find a Common Claybank or two among the Spledids along the rocky outcroppings, but none were found this year.
Rounding out the year was an uncommon find — a Twelve-spotted Tiger Beetle photographed at Seagull Bar State Natural Area ...
There were a gazillion Hairy-necked Tiger Beetles at the bar, which you can revisit here.
Last but not least, the only Virginia Metallic Tiger Beetle found during the late summer/fall season at Spring Green Preserve ...
In concluding days of the tiger beetle season, observations become treasures, each sighting a whispers farewell to these remarkable creatures. Their colorful exoskeletons, once vivid emblems of vitality, now seem to echo the fading hues of autumn, a testament to the passing of time. As a naturalist, I stand amidst this transition, embracing the ebbing of the tiger beetle season. It is not a goodbye but a pause, a momentary interlude in nature's ever-unfolding saga. For even as they bid adieu to their active reign, I await with anticipation the cyclical return of these nimble creatures, heralding the dawn of a new chapter in the tapestry of life.
Looking forward to 2024!
All images © 2023 Mike McDowell