Claybank-habitat
Guides
Cicindela purpurea audubonii
Audubon's tiger beetle
A subspecies of tiger beetle in the genus Cicindela, Cicindela purpurea audubonii is one of the most commonly encountered tiger beetles in grassland habitats throughout the central Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. It exhibits two distinct color morphs within populations: a green morph with a faint purple tinge and metallic purple elytral border, and a rarer all-black morph. The subspecies follows a spring-fall life cycle strategy, emerging in fall as sexually immature adults, overwintering in burrows, and re-emerging in spring to mate and oviposit. It is distinguished from similar green claybank-associated species by its reduced elytral markings and purple marginal coloration.