Tiger Beetle Larva

bugman

July 14th, 2009 at 8:10 am

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What kind of bug is this?!
July 13, 2009
Ok, we’ve been catching these things since i can remember and we’ve always called them doodlebugs, but after researching on the internet it seems that my family must be the only ones who call these doodlebugs! So, i’m just curious as to what they really are called. We always would catch these by sticking a long blade of grass or pine needle (anything long and slender) and wait for it to start moving and pushing back up and then just pull it up real fast and they would come flying out!
Also, when you touch them with something they will arch their backs real fast as if they try to stick you with whatever that hump towards the end of their body is. Is this some kind of stinger or something??
Thanks alot for your help!
Tim D.
Bastrop, LA

Tiger Beetle Larva

Hi Tim,
This is a Tiger Beetle Larva in the subfamily Cicindelinae. There is another insect commonly called a Doodlebug, and that is the larva of the Antlion. The method you describe for catching your Tiger Beetle Larva is almost identical to the method used by children to catch a true Doodlebug.

Tiger Beetle Larva Hole

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Comments 2

TanukiBlue wrote:
Oh, nonono. You are very definitely NOT the only family who calls those “doodlebugs”. That was the first name I knew them by, too.
The hump has barbs on it that helps the larva stay secure in its burrow… it’s also very very sensitive to touch. I recall that what it actually does is doubles back on itself and lashes out with its sharp little jaws at whatever dared to touch it there…
Posted 18 Jul 2009 at 11:53 am ¶
farmer fred wrote:
My dad showed me how to catch doodlebugs when I was a little boy. I taught my children and grandchildren. The other day one of my grand daughters who is 21 years old now went to look at the vegetable garden with me and in a flash she spotted a doodlebug hole and began fishing with a bahia grass seed stalk. One is never too old to get a kick out of catching them. One thing she showed me that I had never seen before is that if you remain very still and watch carefully the bugs will come up to the top and look for prey. Around the hole of the big bug (which she caught) were many tiny holes and we watched as the babies came up and looked around. They are just as ferocious as the big ones.
Posted 17 Aug 2010 at 11:37 pm ¶