This 2cm-long speed demon can race up to 2.5m (or 125 body lengths) per second. If it were human-sized, that would equate to 800kmph \u2013 faster than a speeding bullet. \u00a0And ignore size differences and the running ability of Cicindela hudsoni<\/em> is still impressive \u2013 a human would have to jog to keep up with it.<\/p>\n

The Australian tiger beetle is quick on its feet for a reason. It feeds on other swift-moving insects, such as grasshoppers and flies (though it\u2019ll eat anything it can catch), so supper depends on speed. It\u2019s a tenacious, voracious predator with long, athletic legs, strong, claw-like mouthparts and large eyes. To insect prey, it\u2019s like having a, well, tiger on your tail. But there\u2019s a downside to life in the fast lane.<\/p>\n

The beetle moves at such a clip that its sensory system cannot always keep up. Its eyes neglect their duties when moving in fast- forward, since their receptors cannot collect photons of light fast enough to form a coherent image. The insect\u2019s ability to see properly shuts down and it blacks out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As a result, a tiger in hot pursuit must stop periodically \u2013 for just a fraction of a second \u2013 to regain its faculties and relocate its target before continuing the chase. It may pause three or four times during a hunt, giving its prey several chances to escape.<\/p>\n
But temporary blindness seems a small price to pay for superspeed \u2013 the beetle runs down most dinners, even with all the fits and starts.<\/p>\n
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Did you know?<\/strong><\/p>\n
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There are more than 2,000 species of tiger beetle worldwide, often found in sandy habitats.<\/li>\n
Tiger beetles are predators all of their lives, but are mostly sedentary during the larval stage. A larva typically hunts by burying itself in the sand, leaving just its head and mandibles exposed, then snatching any prey scurrying past.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p><\/div> <\/section> \n
Main image: Tiger beetle, Cicindela hudsoni <\/em>\u00a9 Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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