Cicindela patruela

Dejean, 1825

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle

Species Guides

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Cicindela patruela, the Northern Barrens Tiger , is a medium-sized tiger beetle to eastern North America with highly specific requirements. are metallic green with ivory elytral bands and measure 12–15 mm in length. The has a two-year with adults active primarily in spring and fall. have declined significantly due to habitat loss and fire suppression, leading to endangered status in Canada and vulnerable ranking by NatureServe.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Cicindela patruela: //ˌsɪsɪnˈdɛlə pəˈtruː.ə.lə//

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Identification

Distinguished from other eastern Cicindela by combination of: metallic green coloration (nominate ), three distinct ivory elytral bands with complete middle transverse band, and occurrence in pine/oak barren . Differs from Cicindela sexguttata (Six-spotted Tiger ) by more domed elytral profile and dark female (white in C. sexguttata). Differs from C. scutellaris by continuous rather than marginal maculation pattern and habitat specificity. Subspecies constenantea distinguished from nominate by metallic black rather than green coloration.

Habitat

Pine barrens, oak barrens, and savannas dominated by pine and oak trees. Requires open sandy or eroded sandstone substrates with sparse vegetation, lichen, and moss cover. Depends on fire-maintained open ; becomes restricted to smaller patches when fire suppression allows vegetation encroachment. Microhabitat characterized by exposed soil surfaces suitable for and larval burrowing.

Distribution

Eastern North America in highly fragmented, isolated . Documented from New Jersey Pine Barrens, Shawangunk Mountains (New York), Pinery Provincial Park (Ontario), Appalachian Mountains, Valley-and-Ridge region (Maryland), Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Quebec (Île-aux-Allumettes). Formerly more widespread; extirpated from most of New England and significantly reduced in Ontario and Quebec.

Seasonality

exhibit bimodal activity: active in spring (May–June) and fall, with summer dormancy. Daily activity bimodal with peaks during cooler morning and evening periods. Adults die by July after spring reproductive period. New adults emerge the following spring after larval development.

Diet

are active visual of small arthropods. Larvae are sit-and-wait ambush predators, capturing prey that pass by their burrow entrances.

Life Cycle

Two-year . mate and oviposit May–June, then die by July. hatch in July; first-instar larvae burrow underground and remain subterranean through first winter. Larvae continue development through second year, emerging as adults the following spring. Larvae occupy permanent burrows from which they ambush prey.

Behavior

are fast-running, that rely on vision to detect prey. Exhibit sophisticated thermoregulatory : stilting (standing on extended legs to elevate body above hot substrate), shade-seeking, and burrowing to avoid lethal temperatures. Activity ceases when soil surface temperatures exceed approximately 35°C. Adults travel approximately 33 m per day based on mark-recapture studies. Both sexes show similar mobility patterns.

Ecological Role

in open barren ; and larvae function as predators that may influence local structure. Dependence on fire-maintained makes the an indicator of ecological disturbance regimes and barren ecosystem integrity.

Human Relevance

Subject to conservation concern due to declines from loss. Listed as Endangered in Canada (2009) with federal recovery strategy released 2021. Ranked Vulnerable by NatureServe; not evaluated by IUCN. Threatened by fire suppression, ATV usage, application, and logging. Recovery efforts focus on habitat management including prescribed fire and population monitoring. Potential candidate for to augment isolated populations.

Similar Taxa

  • Cicindela sexguttataSimilar size and metallic green coloration, but C. patruela has more domed , dark female (white in C. sexguttata), and occurs in barrens rather than forest edges.
  • Cicindela scutellarisOverlaps in sandy but has marginal rather than transverse elytral maculations; more uniformly colored without complete middle band.
  • Cicindela patruela constenantea distinguished solely by metallic black versus green coloration; occurs in New Jersey Pine Barrens.

More Details

Subspecies

Two recognized: C. p. patruela (metallic green, widespread) and C. p. constenantea (metallic black, restricted to New Jersey Pine Barrens).

Population Status

Canadian restricted to two sites in Quebec and Ontario; Île-aux-Allumettes population estimated at approximately 102 individuals. Small population sizes appear typical for the .

Fire Dependence

require periodic ground fires to maintain open hunting ; fire suppression is a primary threat causing vegetation encroachment and habitat degradation.

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