Nineteen tiger beetle species found in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
The survey was carried out under the 'Tiger Beetle India Fest 2025' organised for the first time by Tamil Nadu-based NGO, Rhopalocera and Odonata Association of Rajapalayam (ROAR).
The tiger beetle is a fast, predatory insect known for its vibrant, metallic colours and agile hunting skills. It derives its name from its tiger-like style of chasing and hunting its prey.
Vipin Kapoor Sainy, field biologist and outreach programme head at DTR, who carried out a survey in Dudhwa along with WWF-India project officer Rohit Ravi, said, 'The survey for documentation of tiger beetles in Dudhwa was just the second survey in Uttar Pradesh, with the earlier survey reported to have been carried out in 1980.'
Sainy added that 'the survey resulted in the discovery of 19 species of tiger beetles in Dudhwa, four species, namely 'Lophyra mutiguttata', 'Rhytidophaena', 'Cicindela cyanea' and 'Cylindera venosa' had never been recorded earlier in Uttar Pradesh,' he said.
Sainy said, 'The tiger beetle quest highlighted Dudhwa's remarkable biodiversity, reaffirming it as one of India's premier biodiversity hotspots, where even the smallest creatures like tiger beetles were celebrated and documented.'
Elated with the discovery, Field Director Dr H Rajamohan said conservation was not restricted just to charismatic megafauna like tigers and rhinos but to the other smaller species.
The discovery of 19 species under the Tiger Beetle India Fest reflected their commitment to documenting and protecting the lesser-known yet ecologically significant species, he added. Deputy Director, DTR Jagdish R, said the documentation of 19 species of tiger beetle highlighted the hidden diversity thriving within Dudhwa's rich ecosystems. The tiger beetle quest was not merely a science event, but a collaborative effort to draw attention towards arthropods often overlooked, he added.
V Sharan, Founder Director of ROAR and organiser of the Tiger Beetle India Fest 2025, said he was sceptical about the event as not many citizen scientists or nature observers were familiar with tiger beetles.
'However, the amount of response received and the kind of information collected through the fest had highlighted its success,' he added.
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