Wheel-rolling-locomotion
Guides
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis media
White Beach Tiger Beetle
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis media is a subspecies of tiger beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the White Beach Tiger Beetle. This subspecies inhabits coastal sand dune environments where it exhibits specialized behaviors for survival in sandy habitats. The larvae of this subspecies display a distinctive defensive behavior: when disturbed, they leap from their burrows, grasp their tail with their mandibles, and allow wind to roll them wheel-like across the sand surface. This rolling escape mechanism has been documented on barrier island dunes off the coast of Georgia.