Our second match of the day pits the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) against the Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) in a battle between vertebrate and invertebrate.
As we know, rare’s mascot, Tophat, is a painted turtle, and possibly that fact may have had an impact as the painted turtle easily defeated the eastern milk snake in round one by a score of 13-4. Or possibly it was the turtle’s colourful good looks or the fact that it doesn’t have the bitey reputation of its cousin, the common snapping turtle. But there’s more to this fascinating creature than just its looks. Did you know you can tell how old a painted turtle is by counting the rings on its scales, like a tree? Or that whether a painted turtle is born male or female depends heavily on the temperature of its hatching nest (click here for more fascinating facts about painted turtles)?
But facing Tophat’s kin is the red milkweed beetle, itself a colourful character. Some may be concerned that its main food source, the milkweed, could put it in conflict with monarch butterflies, but check out what Janine Farlay of Cambridge Today has to say: “Native long-horned beetles such as the red milkweed beetle have a valuable place in our ecosystem, helping to preserve the balance of nature. Red milkweed beetles, herbivores that eat only milkweed, are not harmful to monarchs or harm monarch eggs or larvae, so you do not need to remove them from your milkweed plants. The two species can and do coexist peacefully.” And you do have to respect that the red milkweed beetle isn’t afraid to stand out. It knows that its diet makes it awful on the tongue of a potential predator.
So, who will proceed to the quarterfinals next week? Will the red milkweed beetle buzz on through, or will the slow and steady painted turtle win the race? The result depends entirely on you, so cast your vote now: