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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Ground and Water Beetles (Adephaga) » Ground Beetles (Carabidae) » Tiger Beetles (Cicindelinae) » Cicindelini » Cicindela » Big Sand Tiger Beetle (Cicindela formosa)

Species Cicindela formosa - Big Sand Tiger Beetle

Classification · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Big Sand Tiger Beetle - Cicindela formosa Cicindela formosa Big Sand Tiger Beetle - Cicindela formosa Big Sand Tiger Beetle - Cicindela formosa Very Clear Markings - Cicindela formosa Big sand tiger beetles copulating - Cicindela formosa - male - female Tiger - Cicindela formosa Tiger beetle - Cicindela formosa
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Adephaga (Ground and Water Beetles)
Family Carabidae (Ground Beetles)
Subfamily Cicindelinae (Tiger Beetles)
Tribe Cicindelini
Genus Cicindela
Species formosa (Big Sand Tiger Beetle)
Size
body length 15-18 mm
Identification
Brown, red, or purple with large white marks.
Two subspecies: Cicindela formosa formosa with reddish/purple elytra; C. f. generosa with dark brown to black elytra.
Range
United States and extreme southern Canada east of the Rockies but absent from North Carolina to Florida and along the gulf coast (see distribution map)
Habitat
Dry sandy areas: blowouts, dunes, roadsides
Season
Spring and fall (May-June, August-September in North Dakota)
Food
Other insects
Print References
Choate, pp. 66-67, p. 121, plate 180 (1)
Internet References
Tiger Beetles of the United States
North Dakota State Univ.
North American distribution map (Imperial College, UK)
Works Cited
1.Tiger Beetles: A Field Guide and Identification Manual for Florida and Eastern U.S.
By Paul Merrill Choate
Contributed by Cotinis on 24 October, 2004 - 9:38am
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod
Last updated 4 February, 2008 - 8:32am

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