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Home/ Megacephalini / Tetracha / Tetracha virginica
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Tetracha virginica

Linnaeus, 1767

Common name: Virginia Tiger Beetle

Tribe
Megacephalini
Subtribe
Megacephalina
Bioregion
Nearctic / Neotropical
Countries
2
Body length
20.5 mm
Habitat
open-ground
Activity
nocturnal
Wings
macropterous

Distribution

USA (Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, West Virginia, District of Columbia), Mexico (Tabasco)

Open Sandy habitatBiome: Open arid
Provinces: Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana +15 more

Flight period

I

Active September–March (peak Oct–Dec)

Similar to: Resembles Aniara, Metriocheila, Phaeoxantha
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII

VI,VII,VIII,IX

Key diagnostic characters

DIAGNOSIS — Tetracha Hope, 1838 Body 10–20 mm, robust Megacephalini habitus. Nocturnal–crepuscular.

Precise distribution

MX, US

Confidence profile

geo:M|bio:H|morph:H|pheno:I|elev:I|obs:M

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Taxonomic notes

Original combination: Tetracha zerchei (Moravec, 2020)

Data quality: 76/100  ·  Source: GBIF; Wiesner2020; matrix-morphology  ·  Verified by V. Štrunc · Audited: 2026-05-13

Frequently asked

What is the Zerchei Tiger Beetle? ▾
Tetracha Hope, 1838 is one of the largest genera in Megacephalini, with approximately 102 species prowling forest clearings and sandy or clay-loam substrates near water across the Americas. These robust, metallic beetles emerge after dark, hunting under moonlight on bare ground. Larvae develop in
Where does the Zerchei Tiger Beetle live? ▾
It specialises in open ground habitats. distributed across the Neotropical region. with records from Guyana, S