Beetles of North Carolina

Family (Alpha):
Scientific Name: Common Name:

View	CARABIDAE Members:	Members of Cicindelidia:	42 NC Records
Cicindelidia trifasciata - S-banded Tiger Beetle

Compare with: 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: Rob Van Epps

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: Eight subspecies have been described but only two occur in North America north of Mexico (Pearson et al., 2015). In the East, only C. t. ascendens is found.

Identification

Field Guide Descriptions:

Online Resources: BugGuide, 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: According to Knisley and Schmidt 1997), this species prefers waters-edge habitats and is particularly common on mudflats and other wet, open habitats in the Tidewater. However, we have few such records in North Carolina. We have several from roads running through wet savanna habitats, from along the edge of depression ponds, and at least one from the center of a pocosin. These are all consistent with the larger picture of this species inhabiting low wet-soil habitats within the Outer Coastal Plain.

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

Observation Methods: This species is well-camouflaged against the dark, silty or mucky substrates that it appears to prefer. Our records are mainly of single individuals but it is reported to be fairly gregarious (Knisley and Schultz, 1997); although wary, it usually makes only short escape flights.

Abundance/Frequency:

Adult Phenology:

Status in North Carolina

Natural Heritage Program Status:

Natural Heritage Program Ranks: G5T5 [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: We have relatively few records for this species, but that may be due to undersampling the coastal mudflat habitats it is supposed to prefer. More information is needed on its distribution, habitat preferences, and population trends here in North Carolina before its conservation status can be accurately determined.

Photo Gallery for Cicindelidia trifasciata - S-banded Tiger Beetle
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Columbus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Columbus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Morgan Freese New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Max Ramey Dare Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Hunter Phillips, Cathy Songer Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Max Ramey Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Morgan Freese New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Columbus Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Rob Van Epps Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Bladen Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Columbus Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Duplin Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Pender Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Sampson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields, Hunter Phillips Carteret Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Hunter Phillips Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jeff Beane New Hanover Co. Comment:

Cicindelidia trifasciata - S-banded Tiger Beetle

Photo Gallery for Cicindelidia trifasciata - S-banded Tiger Beetle