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Western Tiger Beetle

Cicindela oregona

The Western Tiger Beetle is a shiny, fast bug with beautiful green and blue colors. They love to run around in sunny places and are great at catching their food!

Habitat: Sandy areas

Appearance

The Western Tiger Beetle is a slender insect with a metallic body that gleams green, bronze, or coppery. It often has distinctive cream or yellow markings on its wing covers. Its large, bulging eyes and prominent, sickle-shaped mandibles set it apart.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassInsectaOrderColeopteraFamilyCarabidaeGenusCicindela
Western Tiger Beetle
Photo: user:pompilidCC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗
colorful trait badgeinsectivorous trait badgecarnivorous trait badgediurnal trait badge
Western Tiger Beetle

Category

Insects

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

1

Interesting facts

Its larvae are fierce ambush predators, digging burrows to surprise passing prey.

They are part of a group with over 2,600 species, found nearly worldwide!

This beetle sometimes pauses while running because its brain can't keep up with its leg speed!

Tiger beetles are considered bioindicators, meaning their presence can show a habitat's health.

Special abilities

Ability

Blazing Pursuit

Western Tiger Beetle can run incredibly fast, reaching up to 9 km/h, because of powerful legs that help them chase down quick prey.

Ability

Eagle Eyes

Western Tiger Beetle has large, bulging compound eyes that help them spot tiny moving insects from a distance.

Ability

Grasping Jaws

Western Tiger Beetle has strong, sharp mandibles that help them quickly capture and crush their insect prey.

Measurements & details

Wingspan
25-32 mm
Size
12-16 mm
Lifespan
60-120 days
Flight Speed
20 km/h
Leg Count
6

Diet & Feeding

These speedy hunters are insectivores, mostly eating small bugs they catch with their powerful jaws.

Age differences: Larvae are ambush predators from burrows; adults are free-ranging pursuit hunters.

Primary Foods

  • flies
  • ants
  • small caterpillars
  • aphids
  • spiders

Foraging Method

  • Pursuit

Ecological connections

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Be careful not to touch insects, as they can be delicate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Western 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 Western Tiger Beetle's wingspan?

25-32 mm

How big is Western Tiger Beetle?

12-16 mm

How long does Western Tiger Beetle live?

60-120 days

How fast can Western Tiger Beetle fly?

20 km/h

What does Western Tiger Beetle eat?

These speedy hunters are insectivores, mostly eating small bugs they catch with their powerful jaws.

Where is Western Tiger Beetle usually found?

Sandy areas

How does Western Tiger Beetle hunt?

Pursuit

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