Green Tiger Beetle

Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris) are easily recognised by their iridescent green colouring and the yellowish spots on their back.

The Green Tiger Beetle is an incredibly fast-moving and effective predator in the invertebrate world. They have long, agile legs which allow them to chase down prey; large eyes to help them locate their prey; and incredibly powerful sickle-shaped mandibles with which to grab them.

These beetles prefer areas of bare ground with little vegetation and are most commonly seen in warm and sandy habitats in heaths, hillsides, dunes and brownfield sites. Having access to bare ground is important because the beetle relies on the sun’s warmth to remain agile and fast. Additonally, the beetle’s larvae develops more rapidly in warm soil.

Larvae of the Green Tiger Beetle are parasitized by the solitary wasp Methoca ichneumonoides. The female wasp is smooth and slender in shape, enabling it to avoid being gripped by the larvae’s strong mandibles. The wasp stings a Green Tiger Beetle larva to paralyse it and inserts an egg into the larva’s burrow. When the wasp’s egg hatches, the wasp larva feeds off the paralysed beetle larva in the safety of its own burrow.

• Size: 10-15mm
• Life span: Annual.
• Diet: Other invertebrates, including spiders, caterpillars and ants.
• Reproduction: Green Tiger Beetles typically breed in the summer, and the female lays her eggs  in individual burrows in the ground. When the egg hatches, the larva will remain in the burrow.  They are ambush predators, feeding on unsuspecting prey that amble past or fall into their pit trap like home. Larval development involves three larval instars, and as they grow they enlarge their burrow to create more space before each moult. This development process takes almost a year, and they emerge as adults the following spring.
• When to see: Active from April to September. They favour sunny spots and are quick to take to the wing if disturbed.
• Population Trend: Stable.
• Threats: Loss of bare ground habitat and brownfield sites.
• Interesting Fact: When hunting tiger beetles are often seen sprinting in straight lines towards their prey.  They then stop and appear to be re-orientating themselves before moving on.  It is thought that this may be because the beetle runs too fast to be able to process its vision – it is running blind!  Tiger beetles will hold their antennae out in front of themselves to avoid obstacles when running!

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