Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes


TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Photo#187491
tiger beetle? - Cylindera unipunctata

tiger beetle? - Cylindera unipunctata
Gray Summit / Shaw Nature Reserve, Franklin County, Missouri, USA
June 1, 2008
Size: about 2 cm
Saw several of these along the trail at the Shaw Nature Reserve. Unlike the si*x-sp*otted tigers, these were uninclined to fly away ... they only tried to run along the ground. Please help me ID to species :)

Yes.
Yes, that is a tiger beetle, probably Cicindela punctulata. Please see guide page for that species for more images, information.

 
Cicindela unipunctata
too should be considered as image suggests a more robust habitus and only a single pair of tiny white macules at elytral margins. It is a cryptic (often nocturnal) ground runner with weak flight ability as compared to skittish C. punctulata. The image is a bit too dark for me to commit to species however.

 
Cicindela unipunctata
Actually your image does appear clearer and brighter on a second better monitor other than my home screen. I now feel more confident in my first impression and we should see if other tiger beetle experts agree with C. unipunctata.

 
I'm not exactly an expert on tiger beetles...
...but this is certainly C. unipunctata. I have several specimens taken at that very location.

 
Thanks!
I wasn't even aware of C. unipunctata, so thank you for the enlightenment. I have, however, encountered plenty of C. punctulata in situations similar to what is described here.

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.