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Cicindela dorsalis media
These beetles range from 10.5-13.5 mm (0.41-0.53 in) in length. They have long, slender legs and large jaws. The wing coverings are white with bronze-colored markings and the head and pronotum are bronze. The subspecies dorsalis, the northeastern beach tiger beetle, is a federally listed threatened species of the United States. In 2009 the United States Fish and Wildlife Service recommended the subspecies be uplisted to endangered status.
North Carolina island beach; this day, I scarcely saw one beetle alone as it seemed the height of mating season. Sometimes, the male stayed too long and the female seemed to be trying to throw him off.
Perhaps this should be Eastern Beach Tiger Beetle (Habroscelimorpha dorsalis); I was unsure.
Spotted on Sep 6, 2012
Submitted on Dec 27, 2012
4 Comments
Thanks for your comment, Michael69. It will be interesting to know the outcome of your genetics study!
I am an endangered species biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and I am the species lead for the Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis). This beetle is one of three other non-listed subspecies (Cincindela dorsalis media), which is found along the barrier islands/shoreline from New Jersey to Florida. We are currently working on a genetics study to review this classification.
A very belated thanks, Tom!
Super looking tiger beetle!