Cicindela hybrida

Dune Tiger Beetle ( Cicindela hybrida )

The Dune Tiger Beetle or copper brown tiger beetles ( Cicindela hybrida ) is a beetle of the subfamily of the tiger beetles ( Cicindelinae ).

Features

The beetles are 11-16 mm long and have a relatively variable body coloring. As a rule, they are colored greenish- copper color, but there are also copper- brown or bluish copies. The underside is metallic green, the upper lip is bright, the pronotum is colored in many species in rainbow colors. The elytra wear white or yellow spikes binding ( spots). The basal spot has approximately the shape of a C. The forehead ( frons ) is hairless, well below the compound eyes are no bristles. The missing hair distinguish the type of mountain - like Tiger Beetle (C. sylvicola ) whose forehead is hairy. The first antennal segment has a few white bristles only at the top.

Occurrence

The animals arrive in Europe to the north of Finland, the middle of Sweden and south of Norway. To the east extends the distribution area of ​​Asia Minor and the Caucasus to Siberia. They live in sandy areas, such as dunes in sand pits, sandy, open woods, river banks, sandy meadows and fields and dirt roads from the plains to higher altitudes. They will take place from April to October.

Way of life

The adults and larvae feed on insects. The adults can larger prey (eg Weichkäfer ) from a distance of 20 to 30 centimeters, small prey (eg ants) from about 10 centimeters to its extremely good eyes perceive. The larvae live in up to 50 centimeters long tubes whose entrance faces south. The larvae often build their burrows close together.