Deep Look

- A fearsome hunter stalks its prey.

With its orange markings, giant mandibles, and generally ferocious nature.

The tiger beetle really lives up to its name.

Its large compound eyes give it a wide field of view and excellent motion detection to find prey.

The tiger beetle pops up to survey its territory.

Those extra long legs also give it extra long strides.

They're some of the fastest running insects on earth.

It's as small as your fingernail.

But if a tiger beetle were the size of a human, it would run at the speed of a bullet train.

At those speeds, everything around you becomes a blur.

So how do tiger beetles see when they're in a sprint?

Well, look how they keep stopping in their tracks.

Uh!

Ooh, uhp, woop, woo!

Researchers at Cornell University filmed a tiger beetle chasing a lure and slowed the footage way down.

The researchers think tiger beetles used those quick stops to reorient themselves and find their target again.

They had tiger beetles run a simple obstacle course at top speed.

They had no trouble hurdling over the box in their path.

But when they covered the tiger beetle's eyes, they also went right over the obstacle.

No problem.

So if they're not using their eyes when they run, what are they using?

These beauties.

Tiger beetles have long antennae that curve down in front of them.

In a sprint, the antennae make contact first so the beetle has time to adjust.

Tiger beetles running with their eyes uncovered but missing their an antennae bump right into the box.

It's like running around blindfolded.

The an antennae are like stretching your arms out in front of you to keep from bashing into stuff.

Tiger beetles need their incredible speed because they hunt animals that know how to get away in a hurry.

Oh, not fast enough.

They use their long, jagged, sickle shaped mandibles to catch and crush their prey, slicing in to get at those juicy innards.

So long legs, great eyes.

And what's this?

A bit of romance?

Oh.

As long as it keeps its eye, or an antennae, on the prize, a little blinding speed won't stop the tiger beetle from being an absolute terror to the tiny inhabitants of this sunny tranquil shore.