Cicindelidae › Cicindelini › Cicindelina › Cicindela › Cicindela formosa gibsoni
Cicindela formosa gibsoni
Say, 1817 · Subspecies
Big Sand Tiger Beetle
Description
Big Sand Tiger Beetle, 14mm, coastal sandy specialist, diurnal, Nearctic — tiger beetle data, photos & distribution.
Key characters
Body 8–18 mm, elongate-cursorial; head wider than pronotum; eyes large, protuberant; ground color metallic with white maculation bands; [inherited from species]
Diagnosis
DIAGNOSIS — Cicindela Linnaeus, 1758 Type genus of Cicindelidae. Body 8–18 mm, elongate-cursorial; head wider than pronotum; eyes large, protuberant; ground color metallic with white maculation bands. [inherited from species]
Facts
- Tribe
- Cicindelini
- Subtribe
- Cicindelina
- Body length
- 14 mm
- Size class
- medium
- Habitat
- coastal-sandy
- Activity
- diurnal
- Wings
- macropterous
- Bioregion
- Nearctic
- Distribution
- Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba…
- Countries
- Canada, United States
- Conservation
- LC
- Described by
- Say, 1817
Phenology
Active June–September (peak Jul–Aug)
Etymology
From Latin *cicindela* (glow-worm, firefly) — used by Pliny the Elder for luminous insects; refers to the iridescent elytra (feminine).
FAQ
What is the Big Sand Tiger Beetle?
Among Africa's most specialized tiger beetles, *Cicindela* (Austrocicindela) haunts the bark and wood of forest trees rather than open ground — a rare arboreal lifestyle in the family. Nocturnal hunters, their larvae develop in burrows within bark. This small subgenus of four species represents a st
Where does the Big Sand Tiger Beetle live?
It specialises in coastal sandy habitats. distributed across the Nearctic region. with records from Canada (
External resources
Data quality score: 76 · tier A_verified