Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle
ExploreInsects
Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle
cicindela theatina
The Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle (Cicindela theatina) is a striking, highly specialized insect endemic only to the Great Sand Dunes of southern Colorado. Navigating one of North America's most extreme environments, this vibrant beetle is renowned for its incredible agility and speed. It serves as a keystone micro-predator of the sand dunes, sprint-hunting other small arthropods across the scorching shifting sands. Its existence is a testament to extreme adaptation, living in an environment where surface temperatures can fluctuate wildly.
Habitat: Found exclusively on the active and semi-stabilized sand dunes of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado.
Appearance
This beetle is characterized by its brilliant metallic green to bronze-brown elytra featuring broad, creamy-white markings that dominate much of its upper body, helping it blend seamlessly into the sandy background. It is relatively small, measuring roughly 1.1 to 1.4 centimeters in length. It possesses large, bulging compound eyes for excellent vision, long, slender legs built for rapid running, and formidable, sickle-shaped mandibles used to seize prey.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyCicindelidaeGenusCicindela
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
The larvae act like tiny subterranean jacks-in-the-box, anchoring themselves inside vertical burrows with a specialized dorsal hook to pull passing insects underground.
These beetles run so fast that they temporarily go blind; their brains cannot process visual information at such high speeds, forcing them to stop frequently to relocate their prey.
They are endemic exclusively to the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado, meaning they are found naturally nowhere else on Earth.
Special abilities
Ability
Stilt-Running Sprint
Utilizes exceptionally long, slender legs to lift its body off the hot sand, reducing heat absorption while running at blazing speeds.
Ability
Burrowing Thermoregulation
Digs rapid, temporary burrows into the sand to escape extreme midday heat and freezing nighttime temperatures.
Ability
Visual Pursuit Hunting
Uses large, high-resolution compound eyes to spot tiny prey movements from afar, initiating lightning-fast chase sequences.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 1 cm
- Wingspan
- 2-3 cm
- Weight
- 0.0001-0.0003 kg
- Lifespan
- 1-2 years
- Top Speed
- 8 km/h
- Clutch Size
- 30+
- Incubation
- 10-21 days
Diet & Feeding
Both adults and larvae are voracious predators, feeding on a variety of small dune-dwelling insects and arthropods.
Age differences: Larvae live in vertical sand burrows and ambush passing prey, whereas adults actively pursue prey on the surface.
Primary Foods
- Ants
- Small flies
- Spiders
- Springtails
Foraging Method
- Pursuit
Ecological connections
Traits
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Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
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Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to identify Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle?
The easiest way to identify Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle is to use the Snappit nature identifier app.
How long is Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle?
1 cm
What is Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle's wingspan?
2-3 cm
How much does Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle weigh?
0.0001-0.0003 kg
How long does Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle live?
1-2 years
How fast can Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle move?
8 km/h
What does Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle eat?
Both adults and larvae are voracious predators, feeding on a variety of small dune-dwelling insects and arthropods.
Where is Colorado Dune Tiger Beetle usually found?
Found exclusively on the active and semi-stabilized sand dunes of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado.
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