Sand-habitat-specialist
Guides
Cicindela formosa
Big Sand Tiger Beetle, Flashy Tiger Beetle
Cicindela formosa is a large, robust tiger beetle species found in deep, dry sand habitats across much of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. Adults are powerful fliers known for their distinctive escape behavior—long flights ending with a characteristic bounce and tumble across the sand. The species exhibits notable geographic variation in coloration, with western populations typically showing bright coppery-red dorsal coloration and eastern populations dark brown. Six subspecies are currently recognized, though the validity of some subspecific distinctions remains debated.