Metallic Green Tiger Beetle Pics + ID Needed

[patrickbull]

These show up in my area (Stuttgart, Arkansas) every summer. I grabbed some pics of one today. They really don't do this species justice. Perhaps I can find more to get pics of tonight. These guys will actually ride crickets as big as them like a lion would a gazelle until they take them down.

I've narrowed the genus down to Tetracha. perhaps Tetracha carolina Any ideas on species?

 

[beetleman]

I love these guys! Megacephala carolina,nocturnal tigers,fun to keep, and they breed well too,and yeah can they eat,nice find. I had a blast keeping these guys.

 

[patrickbull]

I love these guys! Megacephala carolina,nocturnal tigers,fun to keep, and they breed well too,and yeah can they eat,nice find. I had a blast keeping these guys.

Hey thanks! I love watching them run around the tank. I see them mating all the time, the males get on the females nerves it almost seems. Could you give me some info on rearing the babies. Are they egg layers? Where are eggs deposited, substrate? Any info you could share would be much appreciated. I used to sell these to a guy who went by Sean or GooddirtF (perhaps someone here knows him) but he could never get any to hatch.

 

[beetleman]

"gooddirt"yes sean i know him,very cool person. these beetles lay their eggs single in the deep semimoist substrate,you can see the eggs on the bottom if you have a clear bottom of the tank,when they hatch the little larvas will make their own little burrows,feed them very small crickets and watch these little suckers grow,they are voracous eaters,once they are big enough that's when they will pupate in their own little cells.good luck,hope this helps alittle

 

[Bugs In Cyberspace]

The substrate was too dry (and shallow?) to produce any offspring and I've got the old genus listed with the following video. Heck, the species might even be incorrect as these particulars were found in a muddy flat beneath a streetlight in AZ. (Oh, the tarantula keepers are going to be on the edges of their seats for this one! Who knew a pet bug could be so active?)

[YOUTUBE]f1cXB7jzwk0[/YOUTUBE]

 

[zonbonzovi]

Psychedelic, I think yours are Tetracha virginica & BICS' are Tetracha carolina based on the elytra & collection area? I had no idea T. carolina had such a large range until today. Awesome little predators...

 

[LeilaNami]

Psychedelic, I think yours are Tetracha virginica & BICS' are Tetracha carolina based on the elytra & collection area? I had no idea T. carolina had such a large range until today. Awesome little predators...

I didn't think it was Megacephala carolina. I kept some and they all had two yellow spots on the elytra. Am I wrong?