Beetles of North Carolina
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Scientific Name: Common Name:
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View CARABIDAE Members:
Members of Cicindelidia:
49 NC Records

Cicindelidia abdominalis - Eastern Pinebarrens Tiger Beetle

Compare with: Eastern Red-Bellied Tiger Beetle   Punctured 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: CicindelinaeSubgenus: 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: No subspecies have been described (Pearson et al., 2015)
Identification
Field Guide Descriptions: Evans (2014)Online Resources: BugGuide, Wikipedia, GBIF   iNaturalistTechnical 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: This is a highly psammophilic species, found most regularly in sparsely vegetated sand hills. Our records come primarily from the Fall-line Sandhills and Carolina bay rims in the Lower Coastal Plain. At least one record comes from an open sandy area on the sound side of a barrier island but we otherwise do not have any records from ocean-side dunes.
See also Habitat Account for Dry-Xeric Sand Barrens and Glades
Diet: Predacious, presumably feeding on a wide variety of small insects and other arthropods
Observation Methods: Although small, the dark color of this species makes it conspicuous against the pale, sandy substrates it prefers.
Abundance/Frequency:
Adult Phenology:
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G3G4 [S3S4]
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 species is a strong habitat specialist and large areas of its sandhill habitats have been converted to pine plantations, golf courses, and other human uses. Suppression of naturally occurring fires is also changing the once open barrens habitats it prefers to shrub thickets or closed canopy forests. Management recommendations include protection of larval habitats from the impacts of sand-mining, off-road vehicle use, and trampling from human foot-traffic. Where associated with fire-maintained vegetation, prescribed burns should be used to keep the habitats open.

Photo Gallery for Cicindelidia abdominalis - Eastern Pinebarrens Tiger Beetle

Recorded by: Mark Shields
Columbus Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips
Bladen Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: John Petranka
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Pender Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Scotland Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Morgan Ariel Freese
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Morgan Ariel Freese
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Morgan Ariel Freese
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Columbus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Hunter Phillips
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Dorothy Pugh
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: ASH
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: E. Corey, M. McCloy, A. Blan
Moore Co.
Comment: