Earlier this week I spotted this striking Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata) while I was exploring a local nature park. When the sun is shining, the metallic bodies of these beetles absolutely sparkle and look like pieces of high-fashion jewelry. This particular beetle was quite cooperative and did not move as I circled it in pursuit of a good shooting angle.
I was particularly happy with this shot, because of the way that it shows the shadow, the mouth parts, and the detailed wood grain of the stump on which the beetle was crawling. Normally these beetles, as their name suggests, have six spots, but I think that this one had eight little white spots. Apparently the number of spots is somewhat variable.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Dazzling and a bit defiant, this one. Wonderful photo, Mike.