On a recent walk at Riverwood Conservancy in Mississauga, I spotted a brilliant turquoise insect ahead of me on the dirt and fine gravel path. At the very first, I wondered if it was one of the shimmering jewel-tone flies that gathered on the river road last year on top of drops of Gatorade.
Stepping forward, I swung around to take photos with the light behind me. The insect turned from true-blue turquoise to rich shimmering emerald green as if a switch had flipped.
My heart slipped. This must be one of those invading Emerald Ash Borers that are killing so many of the local trees.
Still, I took several photos before it either sensed me drawing closer or it saw something of interest and it flew away. None is in perfect focus but they all show a long-legged beetle with 8 or so white blotches on the ”tail” end of the body.
This beetle is standing beside a tree blossom. In length, the insect is about 2/3 the diameter of a dime.
Emerald Ash Borers Do Not Have Long Legs
Once home, I clicked onto the internet to look up Emerald Ash Borers. The search engine results were full of photos of insects with short non-obvious legs. They sure didn’t look much like my long-legged beastie.
The shape was also all wrong. My bug had one of those in-and-out bodies like a hornet or an ant. The ash borers all seemed bullet-shaped or vaguely like a leaf-hopper.
I scrolled down the images and suddenly saw my insect. When I clicked on this picture posted by Jacob’s Tree Surgery, the caption leapt to my eyes: “THIS IS NOT THE DREADED EMERALD ASH BORER.”
Emerald Ash Borers Do NOT Have White Spots
The white spots so obvious on my insect were another big clue. The Emerald Ash Borer does not have large noticeable white spots or splodges.
So What Native Emerald (or Turquoise) White-Spotted Long-Legged Beetle Was It?
Luckily the arborist’s website led me quickly to a name: I had found a Six Spotted Tiger Beetle. True, it had more than 6 white spots. Some times they have fewer as well. But according to Bugguide.net that’s what it was.
The info section was particularly informative. It says that 6 Spotted Tiger Beetles are often found “hunting along sidewalks/roads and on large lying logs.” That fairly perfectly described the habitat I found my beetle hunting in: a road-like path which was bordered on either side by large lying logs.
What Do 6 Spotted Tiger Beetles Eat?
If these pretty insects don’t eat ash trees, what do they eat?
According to the Fairfax County Public Schools website, they eat pretty much anything small and bug-like which they can catch. The eat caterpillars, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, flies and spiders.
It doesn’t say whether they eat Emerald Ash Borers but one can always hope!
Either way, I’m glad I didn’t just step on it and squish it which I admit did go through my mind. I would have been killing an innocent and useful insect just because of an extremely superficial resemblance to a pest.
Related Reading
- Not Every Long Horned Beetle in Ontario is an Asian One
- What is This Yellow Beetle with 12 (or 11) Black Oblong Spots Foraging on the Goldenrod?
- University of Guelph: Tiger Beetles of Ontario
Join In
Have you seen this type of Tiger Beetle or another? Did the vivid colour shock your eyes like it did mine? Please share your encounters with a comment.
Thanks for this post! I saw one the other day in Toronto and didn’t know what it was.
Yes, they are out for the spring. I saw two today along paths near the Credit River. I’m glad you got to see one too!
I saw two on my patio runs very fast. It seems their mating season.
Thanks. I saw a whole nestful just now! Also, these non-invasive species eat emerald ash borers!!👍👍😀
:-D
Every little munch helps!
I saw one, just minutes ago in Geist, Indiana.
They are quite striking insects–thanks for sharing your sighting!
Yes! In Springfield Illinois. Thanks for the details.
I hope you have been seeing Tiger Beetles not Emerald Ash Borers.
Thank you for the photo and ID! We have one on the pavement around the pool and I panicked thinking it was the DEAB. (Dreaded Emerald Ash Borer)
I’m glad you checked its id first–I suspect a lot of these got squashed by people trying to protect their trees. Thanks for sharing!
I saw two neon green ones on my street in Illinois. They are out in spring.
I like the way they change colour in different lights–and to make it confusing there are other Tiger Beetles too. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Found one in our yard here in North Central Missouri. I also thought it was an Ash borer, so euthanized it for my Grandson’s bug collection. Glad to know I was wrong, and happy to have a name for it now!
Thanks for sharing!
Yaayyy!! Thank you so much for your post! I now know what is beautiful “new to me” bug was that I saw for the first time at Nantahala Lake. The first one was a gorgeous emerald green. A few miles down the road the the rushing Nantahala River I did get a picture of a brilliant turquoise blue one! I lived in FL for 50 years and know those insects but our new state is truly a new adventure! Thanks again!
Glad you had a good sighting of one! I love the way they look.
Just found one here in west central Minnesota in a bathroom and one crawling near my house. Not an emerald ash borer – thank goodness.
Glad you checked first!
I just saw one in the smoky mountains and I also was so worried it was the emerald ash beetle but I just snapped a picture also just in case it was an innocent but worried I let an ash eater go free. Was so happy to see your post!
I’m glad you checked, and so is it!
Saw this strikingly beautiful beetle chasing an ant. He did catch it, but when I bent down to get a closer look it escaped. Never have I seen such a beautiful beetle. Went to get a jar to show my brother. It didn’t wait for my return.
They tend to hunt along pathways so you may find it or another in the next day or so.
Saw this strikingly beautiful green beetle chasing an ant here in Southern Minnesota. He did catch it, but when I bent down to get a closer look the ant escaped. Never have I seen such a beautiful beetle. Step into the garage to get a jar. Needless to say it didn’t wait for my return.
Haw River NC .
Every interesting, First I’ve ever seen.
Beautiful color..
Yes, they have amazing shades of turquoise or emerald depending on how the sunlight lands. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the post. My heart sank when I saw the beetle blow in on a KY storm. I have a beautiful Ash tree in my back yard. Then saw your pictures. Phew! A good beetle.
Yes, these are some of the good guys. Around here, we lost the battle to the borer–very sad to see thousands of trees gone so quickly. I sure hope it never reaches your area or your tree.
I saw three of them today on a walk in Durham, Connecticut.
They are quite pretty when they glitter in the sun!
I’ve gotten in the habit of taking a pic of an insect instead of my knee-jerk reaction of squishing it. Saw this beautiful green beetle last summer in the mulch and identified him as a non-pest. Seen him or ones like him many times since. Such a stunning green sheen. Happy to read others resist squishing until an ID is made!
They are a really pretty beetle–thanks for sharing and sparing!
Today I saw a beautiful metallic turquoise bug chasing a ant on my patio. When I tried to get a closer look it flew away. This is the first time I have seen this bug where I live so looked it up on Google and it brought me to your site. Since my condo borders the woods I thought maybe it was an Emerald Ash Borer. Happy to know it isn’t. Thanks for the pictures!
Yes, this Tiger Beetles are some of the “good guys” so we can enjoy their colours without worry!