Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle

This lovely metallic-green beetle which I saw today is a Six-spotted Tiger beetle. They live in wooded areas and eat ants, spiders, and caterpillars. They are basically loners and usually just come together to mate.  After mating the male will ride on the back of the female for awhile to keep other males from mating with her which seems like an extreme way to keep a mate to oneself.