Chasing Tiger Beetles

 Merivale Gardens in Ottawa

Saturday this weekend went exploring the sand dunes of the Piney Forest and was lucky to find the Tiger Beetles out on the dunes in the warm sun. I didn't get a chance to photograph any last year but I did come across a number on the sandy beaches of Petrie Island in eastern Ottawa. I think this is the first time I photographed Tiger Beetles with my new Canon EOS R7 with the 100mm macro lens. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the photos being that the insects are hard to find not moving or flying about. The sand dunes at Merivale Gardens has three species of beetle including the Ghost, LeConte's and the Eastern Sand. This time I came across the most common LeConte's/Festive Beetle.

LeConte's Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris lecontei) Merivale Gardens, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Hoping I will get some more varieties this summer I would most definitely like to get some shots of the Ghost but unfortunately they are getting hard to find and their habitats are now protected from trespassers. Anyways check back with me over the summer to see if I capture anymore tigers on the hot sands.