Bee-fly-host
Guides
Cicindelidia obsoleta
Large Grassland Tiger Beetle, Prairie Tiger Beetle
Cicindelidia obsoleta is a large tiger beetle species distributed across grassland habitats in central North America, from Texas through Oklahoma and northward into the Great Plains. The species exhibits notable geographic variation, with the nominate subspecies C. o. obsoleta occurring in the western portion of its range and displaying predominantly black coloration, while the disjunct Missouri/Arkansas population (C. o. vulturina) shows green to olive-green coloration. Adults are active during fall months, with the disjunct population showing a phenologic shift to cooler autumn activity compared to the summer-active main population. The species is among the largest North American tiger beetles, with adults reaching sizes comparable only to Tetracha virginica in its eastern range.