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Cicindela oregona
dorsal view: hi res
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Carabidae overview
Key to genera
Natural History:
Tiger beetles in general are heliophilic. The habitat consists typically of open, sunny locations. They can be found on sandy beaches and trails, scattered vegetation, lake shores and stream banks. Some can be found on forest edges, in clay soils, and in rotten stumps. The larvae are found in vertical tunnels, often 0.3 meters underground in sandy and dry localities (Borror, et al. 1989). The larva's head protrudes slightly from the hole opening, the jaws wide apart, ready to capture insects passing by. The hooks on the 5th abdominal sternum are used as anchors to the burrow, to aid the larva's success when battling larger prey. When the prey is captured and subdued, it is then dragged down into the bottom of the underground cavity (Bland, 1978). The adults and larvae are both voracious predators, as their name suggests, feeding on a variety of small insects. They sometimes bite when handled. They are swift runners and their speed on the ground aids their predation ability. They are also rapid flyers, frequently flying close to the ground. They are difficult to approach due to their wariness, taking flight quickly.
The members of this genus are diurnal, in contrast to Omus, which are nocturnal (Comstock, 1920).
References:
Bland, R. G. 1978. How to Know the Insects, 3rd Edition. Dubuque, Iowa, Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers.
Borror, D. J., Triplehorn, C. A., and Johnson, N. F. 1989. An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 6th Edition. New York, Saunders College Publishing.
Comstock, J. H. 1920. An Introduction to Entomology. Binghamton, New York, Vail-Ballou Press.
Last updated Wednesday, July 19, 2006, by Administrator
