Northern dune tiger beetle  (Cicindela hybrida)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

Tiger beetles are hunters and can see their prey quite easily with their large eyes. They are only able to hunt when the surface temperature of the ground reaches 28°C. This is about the same temperature at which their prey begins to move, and tiger beetles are able to pursue their victims easily with their long legs. One suggestion is that, unusually for insects, some tiger beetles have binocular vision; their field of view overlaps forward of the insect, allowing it to judge distances and speeds. This would give them a big advantage over their victims.

The beetles breed in mid-summer and the larvae may spend the winter in a half-grown state. Adults emerge in the mid-summer and over-winter before breeding which suggests a total life span of two years. The larvae are predatory, like the adult beetle, and the species is able to fly well.

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