April 14, 2018

Tiger Beetle Facebook Groups

Here are a few links to Facebook groups that may be of interest. I had started one for Ohio to accompany this project. Please feel free to post pictures, get ID help and add discussions. The Cicindelidae group has some very experienced an knowledgeable folks on there as well as some interesting species from around the world.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/932825470083876/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/121796745140386/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/160067721087199/

Chris

Posted on April 14, 2018 05:28 AM by christopherswan christopherswan | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 27, 2018

Ohio Species Accounts

21 documented Ohio species:

Virginia Metallic Tiger Beetle (Tetracha virginica):
Found in the southern half of the state; adults are smmer active; nocturnal; terrestrial and rarely take flight; often found at night feeding at lights, by day they hide under rocks and leaf litter.

Bronzed Tiger Beetle (Cicindela repanda):
Found statewide; adults are spring/fall active; populations are common but declining; can be found on sandy substrates near water, often occurs with other species; can be found in large numbers on Lake Erie beaches.

Twelve-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela duodecimguttata):
Found statewide; adults are spring/fall active; populations are common but declining; found on moist dirt or sandy substrates along moving water, also found away from water on moist substrates; often occurs with other species.

Hairy-necked Tiger Beetle (Cicindela hirticollis):
Ohio "state threatened" species; can be found on fine moist sand along Lake Erie beaches, records also from a few western Ohio counties; Adults are active in spring/fall; populations declining due to high water levels and human encroachment.

Big Sand Tiger Beetle (Cicindela formosa):
Could be found statewide; adults active in spring/fall; occur in dry sandy areas away from water; large species.

Cow Path Tiger Beetle (Cicindela purpurea):
Could occur statewide; adults are active in spring/fall; occupy open grassy areas in low population densities.

Splendid Tiger Beetle (Cicindela splendida):
Ohio "species of concern"; only recorded from a small number of counties in southern part of the state; adults are spring/fall active; occupies clay substrates in low density populations.

Common Claybank Tiger Beetle (Cicindela limbalis):
Probably restricted northeastern counties; adults are active spring/fall; occur on clay/shale cliffs or embankments near creeks and rivers, could also occur along gravel forest trails; co-occurs with other species in that habitat.

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata):
Common statewide; adults reported early April through July; a common woodland species often found along dirt and gravel trails in sunny situations.

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle (Cicindela patruela):
Could be found statewide but populations are probably small and localized; adults are active spring/fall; occupies dry sandy soils in pine and oak forests.

Festive Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scutellaris):
Could be found statewide; adults are active spring/fall; found on a number of sandy habitats away from water.

Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle (Cicindela tranquebarica):
Could be found statewide; adults are active spring/fall; occupies a number of different habitats and substrates; probably Ohio's first active Tiger Beetle in the spring.

Appalachian Tiger Beetle (Cicindela ancocisconensis): Ohio "species of concern"; restricted to a couple of counties in the northeast; adults are active in spring/fall; found on substrates near mountainous creeks and rivers.

Punctured Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia punctulata):
Found statewide; adults found in summer, June-September; can be found in a number of different habitats and substrates usually away from water.

Eastern Red-bellied Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia rufiventris):
More common is southern half of the state but trending northward; adults are summer active; occupies dry habitats and substrates including dirt, course sand, and clay.

Cobblestone Tiger Beetle (Cicindelidia marginipennis):
Ohio "state threatened" species; can be found in southern portion of the state; adults are summer active; occupies cobblestones along creeks and rivers.

Ant-like Tiger Beetle (Parvindela cursitans):
Ohio "species of concern"; can be found in the southern half of the state; adults are summer active; reported to occupy a number of different habitats and substrates; smallest Ohio species, it rarely takes flight and prefers to run.

One-spotted Tiger Beetle (Apterodela unipunctata):
Can be found in the southern half of the state; adults have been recorded from mid-April to mid-September; this species occupies shaded forest paths, it will take cover under leaf litter to escape.

Coppery Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera cuprascens):
Ohio "species of concern"; Adults are summer active; occupy sand and loam shores near moving water, populations can be isolated.

Sandy Stream Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera macra): Only one old state record and may have been confused with Coppery Tiger Beetle. Keep an eye out, this species may be present. Adults are summer active; occupies mud and sand on rivers and large lakes.

Ghost Tiger Beetle (Ellipsoptera lepida):
Ohio "species of concern"; Found in the northwest corner and southern portions of Ohio; adults are summer active; occupies deep white sand in low population densities.

Hopefully some of this information can be helpful. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact Chris Swan through the iNaturalist messenger or email me at swan.1@live.com. Historical observations are also welcome. Good luck out there!

Posted on March 27, 2018 12:47 PM by christopherswan christopherswan | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 20, 2018

Tiger Beetle Reference Materials

Here are a few reference materials that could be helpful.
First off is Bugguide. Follow the link provided and it will take you to the Tiger Beetle section. Clicking on each Tribe tab will narrow the search further to Genus then to species. Most of our Ohio species will be found on the Tribe Cicindelini tab. There should be plenty of pictures to help with an ID and be used to reference species. There are also some good distribution maps of each species and can be viewed by clicking the Data tab on each species page. Note: Species distribution on Bugguide is only of reported observations on Bugguide. The species may occur elsewhere, it just hasn't been reported on Bugguide. https://bugguide.net/node/view/375/bgpage

Here are a few excellent books:
"A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada", by Pearson, Knisley, Duran, and Kazilek

"Tiger Beetles: The Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity of the Cicindelids", by Pearson and Vogler

"The Biology of Tiger Beetles and a Guide to the Species of the South Atlantic", by Knisley and Schultz

"The Tiger Beetles of Ohio (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)", by Graves and Brzoska. Sold by the Ohio Boilogical Society.

I have purchased most of those books through Amazon but I'm sure there are other places where they can be found.

Chris

Posted on March 20, 2018 03:30 AM by christopherswan christopherswan | 0 comments | Leave a comment

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