Beetles of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):
Scientific Name: Common Name:

View	CARABIDAE Members:	Members of Cicindelidia:	179 NC Records
Cicindelidia punctulata - Punctured Tiger Beetle

Compare with: Eastern Red-Bellied Tiger Beetle Eastern Pinebarrens Tiger Beetle
Identification Tips: Move the cursor over the image, or tap the image if using a mobile device, to reveal ID Tips.
Note: ID Tips follow Pearson et al., 2015

Photo: Mark Shields

Taxonomy

Family: CARABIDAE	Subfamily: Cicindelinae	Subgenus: Cicindela
Comments: One of 19 species in this genus that have occur in North America north of Mexico (Pearson et al., 2015); four have been recorded in North Carolina.
Species Status: Three subspecies have been described, with only the nominate form occurring east of the Rocky Mountains (Pearson et al., 2015)

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions: Evans (2014)

Online Resources: BugGuide, Google, Wikipedia, GBIF, iNaturalist

Technical Description, Adults/Nymphs: Knisley and Schultz (1997); Pearson et al. (2015)

Distribution in North Carolina


County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.


Flight Dates: High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft. Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft. Piedmont (Pd) Coastal Plain (CP) Click on graph to enlarge

Habitats and Life History

Habitats: Knisley and Schultz (1997) claim that this species has a broader range of open or sparsely vegetated habitats than any other North American Tiger Beetle. Specifically, they mention adults as occurring along roadcuts and trails, plowed fields, gardens, sand pits, and eroded banks. Larvae, likewise, burrow in hard-packed sand, loam, or clay.

Diet: Predacious, presumably feeding on a wide variety of small insects and other arthropods

Observation Methods: This species is fairly easy to spot when moving on the bare substrates that it prefers. When captured, they give off a strong, characteristically fruity odor that is reminiscent of apples.

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5T5 [S5]

State Protection: As with other North Carolina insects, no state laws provide them any protection. Permits must be obtained, however, to collect them in State Parks and other nature preserves

Comments: This is one of our most widespread, common, and habitat-generalized species of Tiger Beetle. Consequently, it seems secure within the state.

Photo Gallery for Cicindelidia punctulata - Punctured Tiger Beetle
	Recorded by: K. Bischof Transylvania Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Nathan Vaughan Granville Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Bladen Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Robert Emmott Haywood Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Robert Emmott Haywood Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Nora Murdock Haywood Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Nora Murdock Haywood Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Sarah Toner Hyde Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Greene Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Sarah Toner Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Hunter Phillips Wayne Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Caldwell Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Alleghany Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Morgan Ariel Freese New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Hoke Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Moore Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Bladen Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Salman Abdulali Pitt Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Currituck Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Columbus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Robeson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Duplin Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Jones Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan Brunswick Co. Comment: Found along a roadside right-of-way, with short grasses and patches of open sand	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Jeff Beane Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: L. Amos Warren Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger Halifax Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Kyle Kittelberger Halifax Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: K. Bischof Beaufort Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Montgomery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: E. Corey, SBW, FKW Camden Co. Comment:	Recorded by: E. Corey, SBW, FKW Camden Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Newman, Randy Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment:

Cicindelidia punctulata - Punctured Tiger Beetle

Photo Gallery for Cicindelidia punctulata - Punctured Tiger Beetle