Tiger beetles occur on most continents. In the United States they are predominantly found in sandy open habitats, including river sandbars, ocean beaches, mudflats, dunes, rocky outcroppings, and even along woodland paths. As their name implies these are active, agile insects, quick to take flight, possessing good vision, and in many cases, having colorful patterns which are quite attractive. These are the "butterflies" of the beetle world. Many collectors readily acquire most species in a relatively short period of time. An entire journal (Cicindela) is devoted to the dissemination of collecting notes, systematics, and behavior of tiger beetles.
There are approximately 100 species of tiger beetles in the U.S., included in four genera: Amblycheila, Omus, Megacephala, and Cicindela. Two genera of tiger beetles occur in Florida Megacephala and Cicindela). Within these genera, three named forms occur in Megacephala and the remaining 20+ occur in Cicindela.
Adults of Florida Megacephala are nocturnal. During daylight hours they may be found hiding under surface objects, dried algal mats on mud flats, boards, rocks, even in cracks in the ground. Adults are extremely rapid runners. Collection of these species is most easily done with headlamp and hand collecting, or with pitfall traps in suitable habitat.
Florida Cicindela are more diverse in behavior and habitat selection. One species (C. punctulata) occurs statewide in disturbed areas, along sidewalks, in open pastures, and on drier soils. This species has the unique characteristic of giving off an odor quite similar to Juicy Fruit Gum. If you don't believe this, collect an individual and sniff for yourself!
Other Cicindela species occur in Florida on river sandbars, sand scrub dunes, coastal beaches, salt marsh mudflats, coral outcroppings in the outer Florida Keys, lakeshores, wooded paths and on clay banks.
Tiger beetles are predators, feeding on insects they are able to capture with their mandibles. It is common to collect adult beetles with ant heads still attached to a variety of appendages! Rather than specializing on certain species for prey, adults are opportunistic feeders.
Active larvae sit at the top of their burrows waiting for prey to venture close enough to be grasped. Any insect not larger than the larva is potential prey, but ants seem to make up the majority of prey items for larvae of most species that have been studied.
Eggs: Eggs are deposited singly in shallow depressions. Upon eclosion the 1st instar larva digs a vertical burrow in which it will remain until pupation and adult emergence. Before each molt the larva plugs its burrow.
Larvae: Larvae are S-shaped, with dorsal abdominal hooks (segment 5) which are used to hold position in their vertical burrows. Some species have adapted to surviving long periods of flooding (river species). Burrows range in depth from 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 cm) (Megacephala) to several feet (100 cm) (Cicindela spp.), the extreme example being that of C. lepida whose larvae have been found to burrow six feet (180cm) deep. Larvae of Florida species (C. abdominalis, C. scutellaris, and C. hirtilabris) burrow to 30 inches. Species that occupy salt flats have larvae whose burrow depths are probably limited by the water table. The few species examined by me have been found to burrow less than one foot. Location of larval burrows has led to the demise of many populations of Cicindela dorsalis. Larval burrows have been marked in a photo taken at Anastasia State Park, Florida. Flags mark the location of C. dorsalis media larvae. Unfortunately the usual site of burrows is also the preferred path for pedestrian and vehicular traffic on beaches in Florida. This conflict has resulted in the complete extinction of populations of this species along many beach areas on both coasts of Florida, and is a topic of concern for remnant populations of other coastal tiger beetles. Among Florida species the only two whose larval habitats remain unknown are C. striga and C. olivacea.
Adults: Adults of most species occur only during the summer months at Florida localities (Megacephala spp., C. abdominalis, C. scabrosa, C. highlandensis, C. hirtilabris, C. gratiosa and others), while at least two species occur only during the cooler months in Florida (C. scutellaris unicolor and C. nigrior). Larvae occur during late summer and overwinter as last instars. Pupation probably occurs in springtime for summer species. Larvae occur in same habitat as adults for many species, or are found in close proximity to adult habitats for those species that occur in wet areas.
Parasites and Predators: Tiger beetles are parasitized as larvae by the Diptera family Bombyliidae and the Hymenoptera family Tiphiidae, genus Methoca and genus Pterombrus. They also are regularly preyed upon by robber flies of the Diptera family Asilidae.
Listed below are the names of several species. All but one of these occur in Florida (C. splendida occurs in northern Georgia and the Appalachian Mountains, and is not yet recorded from Florida). All photos were taken in the habitat where they occurred.
Author: Paul M. Choate, University of Florida
Photographs: Paul M. Choate, University of Florida
Project Coordinator: Thomas R. Fasulo, University of Florida
Publication Number: EENY-5
Publication Date: September 1996. Latest revision: December 2006.
Copyright 1996 University of Florida
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