Cicindela purpurea hatchi

Distinguished from the nominate subspecies C. p. purpurea and C. p. audubonii by geographic occurrence in western intergrade zones. Adults share the species-level characters: faint purple tinge with metallic purple border along elytral margins, reduced elytral markings consisting of short oblique middle line and white rear tip at elytral edge. Black morph individuals occur but at lower frequency (~1 in 25) than in C. p. audubonii populations; black morphs retain reduced white markings and have distinctly hairy frons distinguishing them from similar black species such as C. nebraskana and C. longilabris. Green morph individuals may be confused with C. denverensis, C. decemnotata, C. limbalis, and C. splendida; C. p. hatchi is distinguished by the purple elytral border and reduced maculation pattern.

Inhabits grassland habitats and clay soil environments in the western Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions. Occurs in sagebrush-pine mixed habitats at moderate elevations.

Western North America; intergrade zone between nominate subspecies and C. p. audubonii; recorded from northeastern California (Plumas County, near Chilcoot) and presumably throughout the Great Basin and northern Rocky Mountains of the western United States and adjacent Canada.

Spring-fall species; adults emerge in fall as sexually immature, overwinter in burrows, and re-emerge in early spring for mating and oviposition. Among the earliest tiger beetles to appear in spring and latest to disappear in fall.

One generation annually; eggs laid in spring, larvae develop through summer, adults emerge in fall and overwinter in burrows before reproducing the following spring.

Adults are fast-running, visually hunting predators typical of tiger beetles. Fall-emerged adults likely augment nutrient reserves before winter dormancy. Thermoregulatory posturing observed in related subspecies suggests adults bask to elevate body temperature during cool spring and fall conditions.

Predatory arthropod in grassland ecosystems; population dynamics and ecological interactions presumably similar to other members of the C. purpurea complex.

• Cicindela purpurea auduboniiOverlaps in range; distinguished by eastern vs. western distribution and higher frequency of black morphs in audubonii (up to 20-40% in northern populations vs. ~4% in hatchi)
• Cicindela purpurea purpureaEastern nominate subspecies; distinguished by allopatric distribution and presumably lower black morph frequency
• Cicindela nebraskanaBlack morph C. p. hatchi resembles this species; distinguished by hairy frons in hatchi
• Cicindela longilabrisBlack morph C. p. hatchi resembles this higher-elevation species; distinguished by hairy frons and reduced elytral markings in hatchi
• Cicindela denverensisGreen claybank tiger beetle co-occurring in Great Plains; distinguished by lack of purple elytral border and different maculation pattern
• Cicindela decemnotataBadlands tiger beetle with similar green coloration; distinguished by more extensive elytral markings
• Cicindela limbalisCommon claybank tiger beetle with similar habitat preference; distinguished by more extensive elytral markings
• Cicindela splendidaSplendid tiger beetle with metallic coloration; distinguished by more extensive elytral markings

• tiger beetle
• Cicindelinae
• spring-fall life history
• color polymorphism
• western North America
• intergrade subspecies
• grassland
• clay soil habitat

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life
• Clubhorned Grasshopper
• Clearwinged Grasshopper
• High Plains Grasshopper
• Slantfaced Pasture Grasshopper
• Twostriped Grasshopper
• Monroe Canyon epilogue – Audubon’s tiger beetle | Beetles In The Bush