Tiger Beetles (Cicindelinae)
Note: It is difficult to get an appreciation for the variation between members of the same species from guides which only have one or two images per species, so I have tried to illustrate examples of extremes for many of the species below.
(Note: scans from poor slides)
25 Jul 2001, Altamaha River, GA
20 Jun 2005, Sweetwater Creek, Liberty Co, FL
I was standing in the creek looking for odonates, when I heard a plop next to me. This beetle had fallen from a bridge overhead, and proceeded to swim vigorously to shore, where I got these shots. Impressive swimming ability.
24 Jun 2007, central GA
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
21 Aug 2006, central AL
Steve Krotzer and I found this larva crawling out on open sand, probably due to the parasite visible at lower right. It's a good look at the structure of a tiger beetle larva...
20 Aug 2003, Altamaha River at US 301, Long County, GA
21 Aug 2003, Altamaha Regional Park, Glynn County, GA
27 Mar 2004, River Bend WMA, Laurens County, GA
14 Jun 2006, Big South Fork of Cumberland River at TN 297, Scott County, TN
13 Jun 2006, Little Piney Creek at TN 62, Putnam County, TN
12 Sep 2007, Conasauga River at Old Hwy 2, Murray County, GA
21 Aug 2006, central AL
3 Oct 2006, Little St Simons Island, Glynn County, GA
24 Sep 2007, near Burrville, Morgan County, TN
12 May 2004, near Young Harris off US 76, Towns County, GA
21 Sep 2004, near Young Harris off US 76, Towns County, GA
22 Apr 2004, High Falls State Park, Monroe County, GA
22 Apr 2004, River Bend WMA, Laurens County, GA
Note the individual at lower left is immaculate, or without spots.
26 May 2004, Helton Creek off US 19, Union County, GA
14 Apr 2006, McGraw-Ford WMA, Cherokee County, GA
26 May 2007, central OH
19 Oct 2003, Starkey Wilderness Park, Pasco County, FL
Most FL populations are unmarked.
28 Sep 2004, G Smith State Park, Emanuel County, GA
28 Sep 2004, Kite area, Johnson County, GA
27 Oct 2004, Yuchi WMA, Burke County, GA
Note that individuals with apical lunule markings (lower left) can easily be told from C nigrior which is always unmarked.
23 Oct 2006, Aiken County, SC
Note: Separated from C scutellaris unicolor with care, note labrum features such as color in males and size of teeth.
8 Nov 2006, Okaloosa County, FL
21 Sep 2004, near Young Harris off US 76, Towns County, GA
27 Oct 2004, Yuchi WMA, Burke County, GA
13 Apr 2005, near Boggy Gut, Richmond County, GA
Fall 2006, field along US 76, Union County, GA. Nearly unmarked examples.
This beetle flushed up onto this grass to try to hide from me... and stayed there.
7 Jul 2004, Broxton Rocks TNC Preserve, Coffee County, GA
2 Jul 2006, McGraw-Ford WMA, Cherokee County, GA
25 Aug 2006, Walker County, GA
30 Jul 2003, Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, Emanuel County, GA
3 Jun 2004, Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, Emanuel County, GA
27 Oct 2004, Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, Emanuel County, GA
14 Aug 2006, G Smith State Park, Emanuel County, GA
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
7 Jun 2004, Field off US 76 near Young Harris, Towns County, GA, USA
7 Jun 2004, Field off US 76 near Young Harris, Towns County, GA, USA
Both this species and abdominalis have red abdomens, but abdominalis is smaller with a shiny elytra, not dull orange-peel like rufiventris. Most are relatively unmarked like this one.
7 Jun 2004, Field off US 76 near Young Harris, Towns County, GA, USA
2 Jul 2006, McGraw-Ford WMA, Cherokee County, GA
6 Sep 2006, Field off US 76 near Young Harris, Towns County, GA, USA
20 Aug 2003, St Simons Island, Glynn County, GA
21 Aug 2003, Big Hammock WMA, Tatnall County, GA
17 Oct 2003, Reed Bingham State Park, Cook County, GA
18 May 2004, Yuchi WMA, Burke County, GA
12 Oct 2007, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA
20 Aug 2003, St Simons Island, Glynn County, GA
8 Jul 2004, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA
23 Apr 2004, Unicoi State Park, White County, GA
24 May 2004, Conasauga River, Polk County, TN
26 May 2004, Helton Creek off US 19, Union County, GA
21 Aug 2003, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA
21 Aug 2003, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA
19 Oct 2003, Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County, FL
8 Jul 2003, Jekyll Island, Glynn County, GA
9 Aug 2007, Barrington Park, McIntosh County, GA
9 Aug 2007, Blackwater River, Okaloosa County, FL
18 Jun 2005, sandy road near Clear Creek, Gadsden County, FL
11 Sep 2004, G Smith State Park, Emanuel County, GA
In scan at lower left, note labrum covered by decumbent setae to distinguish from gratiosa.
These beetles are about 110 miles north of any other known records for this species.
28 Sep 2004, G Smith State Park, Emanuel County, GA
10 Sep 2005, G Smith State Park, Emanuel County, GA
Note the ant!
13 Jul 2004, Glacier National Park, MT
27 Jun 2004, Sand Plain in Hartford County, CT
6 Aug 2004, San Marcos River near Luling, Caldwell County, TX
21 Aug 2006, central AL
Note: This species has not been recorded from GA yet, but it might be here if we have any of the right habitat, which I have not found yet.
24 Jun 2007, central AL
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
Upper two are same shot, left image shows behavior of resting in shade and right is closeup of beetle.
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
21 Aug 2006, central AL
19 Oct 2003, Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County, FL
3 Jul 2007, Dixie County, FL
27 Jun 2004, Sand Plain in Hartford County, CT
28 Jun 2004, Connecticut River, Portland, Middlesex County, CT
This endangered species is found only in the NE US.
11 Jan 2008, Puntachame Beach, Panama
6 Feb 2008, Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica
(Lower right is C. macrocnema)
