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Six-spotted Tiger Beetle
Six-spotted Tiger Beetle Photos © Kim Hosen; Merrimac Farm Wildlife Management Area, Nokesville, VA; May 2014
   

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle
Cicindela sexguttata

The presence of tiger beetles, especially the larvae, in an area is often a sign of good, stable habitat.

Because the adults and larvae live in the same habitats for multiple years, they are very susceptible to environmental changes or stresses.

They are fast, agile flyers, and are able to catch insects in the air.

Adults spend winter in burrows and emerge the following spring. Adult females emerge in spring, but do not mate until early May.

The larva resembles a caterpillar, but with two unique characteristics: two sickle-shaped jaws which it uses to catch prey and a hooked hump on its back which prevents it from being pulled out of the ground.