ExploreInsects

Festive Tiger Beetle

Cicindela scutellaris

The Festive Tiger Beetle is a colorful insect with shiny green and bronze colors. It loves to run fast on sandy paths and is often seen in sunny places, making it a fun little friend to spot!

Habitat: Sandy areas

Appearance

The Festive Tiger Beetle has a vibrant, iridescent body often displaying metallic greens, blues, reds, or purples. Its wing covers feature distinct yellow, orange, or white markings, making it stand out from plainer ground beetles and helping with camouflage.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyCarabidaeGenusCicindela
Festive Tiger Beetle
solitary trait badgecamouflaged trait badgecolorful trait badgeinsectivorous trait badge
Festive Tiger Beetle

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

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Interesting facts

Its larvae are sneaky 'pitfall trap' hunters, waiting in burrows to grab unsuspecting insects!

Some Festive Tiger Beetles can slightly change their body color to better match their sandy home!

These beetles have tiny hairs on their antennae that can 'smell' chemicals to find mates!

When running at top speed, they briefly go 'blind' and have to stop to relocate their prey!

Special abilities

Ability

Speed Demon

Festive Tiger Beetle can run at incredible speeds, up to 9 km/h, because of its long, powerful legs that help them quickly chase prey.

Ability

Sharp Sight

Festive Tiger Beetle has large, bulging eyes that give them excellent vision, which helps them spot tiny prey and avoid predators.

Ability

Camouflage Cloak

Festive Tiger Beetle has iridescent colors that help them blend into sandy or mossy environments, making it harder for predators to spot them.

Ability

Powerful Jaws

Festive Tiger Beetle can quickly crush prey with its strong, sickle-shaped mandibles, which helps them overpower struggling insects.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
18-28 mm
Size
9-14 mm
Lifespan
30-90 days
Flight Speed
24 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

Both adult and larval Festive Tiger Beetles are fierce predators of small insects and other invertebrates.

Age differences: Larvae are ambush predators, waiting in burrows to snatch passing insects, while adults actively chase down prey.

Primary Foods

  • Ants
  • Small flies
  • Spiders
  • Caterpillars
  • Beetle larvae
  • Other small invertebrates

Foraging Method

  • Pursuit

Ecological connections

hunts

Silky Ant

Formica fusca

A frequent fast-moving meal on sandy terrain.

eaten by

Brown Thrasher

Toxostoma rufum

A common ground-feeding bird that preys on beetles.

eats

Fiery Searcher Beetle

Calosoma scrutator

Larger ground beetles can prey on tiger beetle larvae.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Be gentle and watch from a distance; they are small and can be easily scared.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Festive Tiger Beetle's wingspan?

18-28 mm

How big is Festive Tiger Beetle?

9-14 mm

How long does Festive Tiger Beetle live?

30-90 days

How fast can Festive Tiger Beetle fly?

24 km/h

What does Festive Tiger Beetle eat?

Both adult and larval Festive Tiger Beetles are fierce predators of small insects and other invertebrates.

Where is Festive Tiger Beetle usually found?

Sandy areas

How does Festive Tiger Beetle hunt?

Pursuit

How many legs does Festive Tiger Beetle have?

6

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Where to spot

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