Family Carabidae – Ground and Tiger Beetles

Six-spotted green tiger beetles

This tiger beetle is an active predator and can frequently be found hunting along footpaths and walkways through deciduous or mixed woodlands. Since the adults overwinter in their original pupal burrows, they are some of the earliest “big” flying insects out and about come springtime. I love the metallic color, and have followed these guys around quite a bit lately (2nd week April) – you can sneak up on them if you move slowly and approach from a low angle – they’ll fly off if you blot out large areas of sky – and when it’s hot, they can be most uncooperative! These pictures were taken from about 4 inches away.

Carabidae is one of the largest insect families with over 30,000 species worldwide. Live adult beetles photographed at North American locations.

Adult tiger beetles are characterized by large, prominent compound eyes and eleven-segmented, filiform antennae. The antennae are inserted on the frons above the clypeus and below the eyes. The head, at the eyes, is wider than the pronotum (as in most common genera of cicindelids).

Adult beetles of the families Cicindelidae and Carabidae (ground beetles) are quite similar morphologically. The ground beetles differ in the following ways: antennae inserted above the mandibles to the side of the clypeus, and below the eyes. Most ground beetles have a head, at the eye, which is narrower than the pronotum.

Fiery Searcher Beetle

Ground Beetle – Scarites

Calleida Ground Beetle

Ground Beetle – Spongopus

Bombardier Beetle

References:
1. Boyd, H.P. 1982. Checklist of Cicindelidae: The tiger beetles. Plexus Publishing, Inc. New Jersey. 31 pp.
2. Knisley, C.B. and T.D. Schultz. 1997. Tiger beetles and a guide to the species of the South Atlantic states. Virginia Museum of Natural History, Martinsville.