Forest steed - a quick and dexterous predator

The race of race beetles united the small long-legged beetles of the ground beetle family. Predatory insects deftly prey on invertebrates, limit the number of agricultural pests. Forest steed in large numbers destroys the larvae of various insects. Beetles settle on sandy areas well warmed by the sun. Beetles are not prone to scatter, live in separate groups. As a result of economic activity in many areas, the species was threatened with extermination.

View description

Forest steed (Cicindelasylvatica) belongs to one of the most numerous families of beetles - ground beetles, a subfamily of racehorse beetles. These insects have a high speed of movement on the ground. The body color is black with a bronze or purple metallic tint. The lower body is blue, covered with long, thick gray hairs. On the elytra there is a changeable pattern of narrow white bandages.

The size of the imago is 15-18 mm. Characteristic features of the body structure of horses:

• long, slender limbs;
• large convex eyes, due to which the head is wider than the pronotum;
• on the inner edge of long, flat sickle-shaped mandibles there are 2-3 large teeth.

In Russian, dexterous predators are called “horses,” the English name for the subfamily is “tigerbeetle” or “tiger beetle.” Forest beetles are distinguished from other species by their upper lip with a clear transverse keel in the central part. Antenna located on the forehead at the base of the mandibles. Filamentous antennas consist of 11 segments. The corolla of each segment is equipped with several bristles. Insects have excellent vision, they look for their prey from afar. On the hips and legs of the beetle thick gray hairs. The legs are elongated and flat.

Insects are very sensitive to danger, it is impossible to quietly sneak up on a bug. Convex eyes allow you to notice the approach of a person or another object in time. The excellent reaction saves the steed from the capture, sensing danger, he instantly takes off and flies several meters. At a safe distance, the bug continues to monitor the enemy until it leaves the territory.

Related view

Field Horse (Cicindelacampestris) is a small beetle from the genus of horses. The body length of the imago is 10-15 mm. The color is green with a purple metallic sheen. On the matte elytra, a variable pattern of white spots. The lower part of the body is blue-green, the sides with a reddish tint. Beetles actively move with the help of wings, run at a speed of 2.25 km / h. At night, they rest, hiding in the bush. The species is widespread throughout Eurasia. Insects settle in open spaces - sandy shores, along roads and ravines, in fields and meadows. During the day, beetles are constantly in motion, raising their bodies high on thin legs. Adults kill many flies. Larvae of a field horse hibernate. Often the development of insects lasts for 2-3 years.

Distribution area

The species Cicindelasylvatica is found in Europe, excluding the Mediterranean region and the far north. The beetle lives in England, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Germany and Belarus. The horses are common in Russia, including the zone of Siberia and the Far East.In Asia, insects are found in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Japan. Separate subspecies live in the mountains of Central Asia and Siberia.

Lifestyle & Development Biology

The main habitats are pine and other coniferous forests on dry sandy soil. Beetles prefer light forests, forest edges and glades with lichen. Adults hunt in a rare grass stand and on mosses. Often ants become prey. The horses are active in the daytime, they like to bask in the sun. Running insects can be seen in June-July, when the soil warms up to 26-27 °. With a high population density, imagoes run, fly from place to place, if there are few bugs, they live secretly.

Interesting fact. Horse beetles are capable of speeds exceeding 2 m / s. In terms of size and speed, they are the fastest animals.

The breeding season of horses is in the beginning of summer. Females lay eggs in sandy soil. The development cycle of beetles takes one year. Larvae of horses outwardly differ from the offspring of other ground beetles. They have a large black head covered with bristles. Mandibles well developed, there are two pairs of ocelli. The shield is brown. On the fifth abdominal segment there is a dorsal hump with curved pointed hooks. Three pairs of chest legs and sides of the body are covered with spines.

Larvae of horses live and develop in sandy soil. They dig holes and vertical passages up to 1 m long, in which they loot prey. The hunter's head is located on the surface of the earth in anticipation of the approach of invertebrates. The larva drags the captured caterpillars or ants into the hole. Before pupation, the larvae expand a part of the hole, close the entrance with a cork and arrange a cradle. At the end of summer, young adults appear who remain wintering.

Natural enemies

In nature, birds, lizards, large insects prey on adult beetles. The main enemy of the larvae is wasp riders. The typhiid family is a specialized parasite of horses.

Limitations and Protection

The reduction in the number of species contributes to the felling of old forest stands and the planting of sandy areas. Locally-living groups often die from forest fires as a result of soil destruction.

Forest steed is an endangered species, it is listed in the Red Books of several regions of Russia: Voronezh, Kaluga, Moscow, Vladimir. It is recommended to identify the habitats of beetles and take them under protection, creating protected areas. Felling of pine trees is prohibited in the areas where the species lives, and chemical treatment of neighboring biocenoses is limited. It is important to prevent overgrowing of sandy stations with shrubs and herbs.