Tiger beetles are a family of beetles, Cicindelidae, known for their aggressive predatory habits and running speed. The fastest known species of tiger beetle, Rivacindela hudsoni, can run at a speed of 9 km/h, or about 125 body lengths per second. As of 2005, about 2,600 species and subspecies were known, with the richest diversity in the Oriental (Indo-Malayan) region, followed by the Neotropics. While historically treated as a subfamily of ground beetles (Carabidae) under the name Cicindelinae, several studies since 2020 indicated that they should be treated as a family, the Cicindelidae, which are a sister group to Carabidae within the Adephaga.
Cicindela, commonly known as common tiger beetles, are generally brightly colored and metallic beetles, often with some sort of patterning of ivory or cream-colored markings. They are most abundant and diverse in habitats very often near bodies of water with sandy or occasionally clay soils; they can be found along rivers, sea and lake shores, sand dunes, around dry lakebeds, on clay banks, or woodland paths.
Cicindela columbica is a species of beetle in the tiger beetle family, Cicindelidae, known commonly as the Columbia River tiger beetle. It is endemic to Idaho in the United States.
Cicindela repanda, commonly known as the bronzed tiger beetle or common shore tiger beetle, is a species of tiger beetle that measures 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in) long, lives in most of North America. Its labrum is small with one tooth and the pronotum is coppery and hairy. The shoulder marking touches or nearly touches the middle band. It is usually seen in spring and summer and it lives in sand, gravel, or clay soil. Its food is many insects and some fruit. The species have a two-year life cycle. It can be found all across sand dunes around the Great Lakes. The species comprises three subspecies: C. repanda repanda, C. repanda novascotiae, and C. repanda tanneri.
Cicindela hirticollis is a species of tiger beetle that is commonly found in sand bars and sandy beaches of North America. It is medium-sized, is about 2–14 mm (0.08–0.55 in) long, and is active in the summer. The dorsal surfaces of the head, prothorax, and elytra are dark brown. The elytral markings are very light-colored cream or white. The species' common names are hairy-necked tiger beetle and moustached tiger beetle. Its population is in decline.
Cicindela maritima is a species of medium-sized ground beetles native to Europe, where it is found in Belgium, Croatia, mainland Denmark, Finland, mainland France, Germany, Great Britain including the Isle of Man, Kaliningrad, Latvia, Moldova, mainland Norway, Poland, mainland Portugal (doubtful), Romania (doubtful), Russia except in the North, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Ukraine.
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Snake River Plain in south-central Idaho, 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Rupert. It includes about 80 miles (130 km) of shoreline around Lake Walcott, from Minidoka Dam upstream about 25 miles (40 km).
Cicindela aurulenta, common name blue-spotted or golden-spotted tiger beetle, is a beetle of the family Cicindelidae.
Cicindela highlandensis, commonly known as the Highlands tiger beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is endemic to central Florida in the United States. It is rare and a candidate for federal protection.
Cicindela albissima, commonly called the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle is a species of tiger beetle endemic to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in southern Utah, United States. It was originally described by Rumpp in 1962 as the subspecies Cicindela limbata albissima, but mitochondrial DNA, along with the species' morphological and geographical distinctiveness, have shown that it is a separate species. C. albissima can be distinguished from other Cicindela species by its restricted range and lack of pigmentation on its elytra.
Cicindela denikei, Laurentian tiger beetle is a species of tiger beetle in the Cicindelinae subfamily that can be found in Minnesota, Manitoba, and Ontario. The species have green coloured elytron and is 13–15 millimetres (0.51–0.59 in) long. It can be found in gravel and sand as well as coniferous forests where it preys on other insect species. When it comes to hunting, adults are either wait for their prey in an ambush or chase it. It larvae usually digs burrows in which they wait for their victim to come by. Once an unsuspected arthropod is in sight, it opens it jaws and eats it.
Cicindela theatina, commonly known as the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, is a predatory beetle found in sparsely vegetated sandy habitats. The species' range encompasses only about 290 square kilometres (110 sq mi) in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. Despite its small range, the species is relatively secure because its entire habitat is within a protected national park.
Cicindela depressula, the dispirited tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found in North America.
Cicindela waynei, known generally as the bruneau dune tiger beetle or bruneau tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found exclusively in Idaho, a state of the United States in North America.
Habroscelimorpha dorsalis, commonly known as the eastern beach tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found in Central America and North America.
Cicindela fulgida, known generally as the crimson saltflat tiger beetle or shiny tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found in North America.
Cicindela formosa, the big sand tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found in North America.
Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis, commonly known as the Northeastern beach tiger beetle, is the largest subspecies of Eastern beach tiger beetle. In 2012, Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis was reclassified under the name Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis, but the names are used synonymously in recently published literature. Fitting to its name, the Northeastern beach tiger beetle dwells along the U.S. northeast coast in small sand burrows. The beetle is diurnal and can be spotted by its light tan coloring with dark lines and green hues on its thorax and head.
Rivacindela hudsoni is an Australian species of the family Cicindelinae or "tiger beetle" and is the fastest-running known insect. The genus Rivacindela is contentiously treated as a subgenus of the broader Cicindela and are typically found in saline habitats such as dry salt lakes and salt streams and are flightless. The species was discovered in South Australia and described in 1997, with an adult form of approximately 20–21mm in length and a running speed of 2.49 m/s, or 120 body lengths per second.
Cicindela senilis, or the senile tiger beetle is a species of tiger beetle found in western California. It lives in tidal mud flats and both coastal and inland salt marshes.
