# Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (*Cicindela sexguttata*) The Six-spotted Tiger Beetle is a shiny, fast insect that loves to run around on the ground. It has six spots on its back and is known for its speed and bright colors! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 149 - **Habitat:** Sandy areas ![Six-spotted Tiger Beetle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Six-spotted_tiger_beetle.JPG&width=800) Photo: TheAlphaWolf, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Six-spotted_tiger_beetle.JPG) ## Appearance The Six-spotted Tiger Beetle has an iridescent, gleaming metallic green to blue-green body, making it stand out like a tiny jewel. It features long, slender legs and large, prominent eyes. Its wing covers typically have three white spots on each side, totaling six, hence its name. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Coleoptera - **Family:** Carabidae - **Genus:** Cicindela ## Interesting facts - Some species taste so awful that birds learn to avoid them after just one unpleasant bite! - Their jaws are like tiny, super-fast pincers, snapping shut to catch food in an instant! - These beetles run so fast they temporarily can't see their prey, having to stop and reorient! - Tiger beetle larvae are hidden ambush hunters, waiting in burrows to grab unsuspecting prey. ## Special abilities - **Blinding Speed:** Six-spotted Tiger Beetle can run at speeds up to 2.5 meters per second, allowing them to chase down swift insect prey. - **Hunter's Eyes:** Six-spotted Tiger Beetle has large, keen eyes that help them spot tiny prey movements from a distance. - **Iridescent Invisibility:** Six-spotted Tiger Beetle has a shimmering metallic green exoskeleton that provides camouflage in sunny, leafy environments. - **Snapping Mandibles:** Six-spotted Tiger Beetle has powerful, sharp mandibles that can quickly snap shut to capture and devour prey. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-28 mm - **Size:** 12-14 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-90 days - **Flight Speed:** 10 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Tiny predators, these beetles swiftly hunt and devour smaller insects they find. - **Age differences:** Larvae are ambush predators from burrows; adults actively pursue prey. - **Primary Foods:** small flies, ants, caterpillars, spiders, leafhoppers - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Field Ant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-ant) (*Formica fusca*) — as a common and protein-rich food source - **Eaten by:** Green Anole (*Anolis carolinensis*) — as a swift, nutritious meal for lizards - **Eaten by:** [Brown Thrasher](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-thrasher) (*Toxostoma rufum*) — caught by birds seeking varied insect prey ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low These beetles are safe to watch, but it's best to leave them alone in nature. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Six-spotted Tiger Beetle? Look for hard wing covers meeting in a line down the back, then compare the antennae, body shape, legs and markings. Metallic colors shift a lot with lighting. Beetle Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Six-spotted Tiger Beetle's wingspan? 25-28 mm ### How big is Six-spotted Tiger Beetle? 12-14 mm ### How long does Six-spotted Tiger Beetle live? 30-90 days ### How fast can Six-spotted Tiger Beetle fly? 10 km/h ### What does Six-spotted Tiger Beetle eat? Tiny predators, these beetles swiftly hunt and devour smaller insects they find. ### Where is Six-spotted Tiger Beetle usually found? Sandy areas ### How does Six-spotted Tiger Beetle hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Belltown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belltown-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Blackbird State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackbird-state-forest) — Delaware, US · Forest - [Bloomingdale](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bloomingdale) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see Six-spotted Tiger Beetle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/six-spotted-tiger-beetle) ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Six-spotted Tiger Beetle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/six-spotted-tiger-beetle)