Summary
Tiger beetles run down prey so fast that the world blurs and they briefly go blind -- so they stop, look, and sprint again. Deep Look shows how these speedy hunters use bursts of vision and huge jaws to catch a meal.
Viewer safety
This episode shows a predator eating real prey (a normal part of nature science) -- preview if that might unsettle your class.
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Talk about it
A tiger beetle sprints, then pauses to let its eyes gather information, then sprints again -- because it moves too fast to see clearly the whole way. Big, curved jaws finish the hunt. Senses and structure working as a team.
- Why does a tiger beetle stop and start while chasing prey?
- What information do its eyes gather during each pause?
- How do its jaws help once it catches up to its meal?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: vision, respond, jaws, senses.
Try it: Play red-light/green-light: run, freeze, look, run. Write how a tiger beetle stops to see, then sprints again.