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DARK SALTFLAT TIGER BEETLE
Cicindela parowana
Family Carabidae- Ground Beetles and Tiger Beetles
Order Coleoptera - Beetles
Risk Status
Official status
The Parowan Tiger Beetle has been assigned an Endangered
or Extirpated (?) status
(CDC = G4 SH) in British
Columbia.
Image Credits: Dark Saltflat Tiger
Beetle sketch by Hannah Nadel in 'Rare Invertebrates of the South
Okanagan' brochure
Distinguishing features
Beetles (Order Coleoptera) can be easily recognized by the tough,
armorlike fore wings, called elytra, that cover the membranous hind
wings used for flying. When the insect is at rest, the elytra usually
meet in a neat line down the middle of the back. The order name
Coleoptera means "sheath wings" and refers to the elytra.
Larvae can be either predacious or vegetarian and sometimes cover
themselves in protective shelters. The larvae display various forms,
but all have biting mouthparts. Metamorphosis
is complete: larvae do not resemble adults and transform during
a pupal stage.
The Tiger Beetles are among the most obvious of beetles, yet can
be difficult to collect. They are very active and alert, running
swiftly over the ground and, unlike almost all other beetles, taking
flight without a split second's hesitation. There are 13 species
of Cicindela in British Columbia, and probably all of them
occur in the Okanagan.
They are quite uniform in size and body outline; they may be recognized
by their swift actions, large pointed mandibles, antennae that arise
from the top of the head, long spindly legs which hold the body
well off the ground, narrow thorax and broad, almost oblong, elytra.
Ground colour ranges from brilliant green, violet, or orange to
greyish and black. They range in size from 10-21 mm long.
Distribution
Map
Red dots indicate specimen records or confirmed breeding sites.
British Columbia
In Canada, the Dark Saltflat Tiger Beetle is known only from Okanagan
Falls, Oliver, and Penticton. It hasn't been seen recently in any
of these areas, and the Penticton site, an alkaline flat, has been
destroyed by housing developments. Perhaps it still exists around
alkaline lakes in the
surrounding region, but no beetles have been collected in recent
years.
North America
Habitat
Alkaline flats are the preferred habitat of the Dark Saltflat
Tiger Beetle.
Why is it endangered?
Rare invertebrates of the south Okanagan and Similkameen valleys
such as this species are threatened, not by direct exploitation,
but by loss or degradation of their habitats. They are at risk because
their ecosystems are at risk.
The grasslands of the southern interior of the province are a
valuable agricultural resource, and their rich soils have been ploughed
and irrigated to produce tree fruits, grapes, and vegetables. Pesticide
use has probably had a great impact on native insects living in
around agricultural areas. As well, heavy grazing has altered the
plant composition of grasslands, changing the invertebrate communities.
The tiger beetle's habitat in alkaline grassland sites has been
affected due to various developments in the southern Okanagan. Also
affected by compaction caused by trampling by cattle, the beetle
has not been recorded recently and may be extirpated from the region.
The massive diversity of invertebrate species in British Columbia
makes it very difficult for entomologists to do a literature or
collection survey to determine which species are endangered or threatened.
Specialized, detailed surveys will be required for almost every
species that is suspected of being endangered. Despite a general
ignorance about invertebrate distribution, information is known
about a number of species that are confined to threatened habitats
of very limited extent in the Thompson-Okanagan valleys.
Biology
As name suggests, the Dark Saltflat Tiger Beetle ambushes and
consumes other invertebrates.
The S-shaped larvae, like the adults, are predaceous; they live
in burrows in the dry soil, and pop out to grab passing insects
with their strong jaws while anchoring themselves with hooks located
on the 5th abdominal segment. All adult Tiger Beetles are ferocious
predators that seize small insects with powerful sickle-shaped jaws.
Most are diurnal, sunloving species. However adults will often
burrow into sand at night or on hot days.
Sources for more
information
Related On-line Sites to Visit
Publications
Habitat Protection Plan for White Lake, K.A. Enns, 1990, p.36.
Biodiversity of BC, Cannings, Ch4. , 1994, p.50
Rare Invertebrates of the South Okanagan, brochure, MOE, March
1995
The SOCAP Workshop Summary, The Nature Trust, 1989.
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and
Spiders, 1980, p. 534
Pearson, D.L., C.B. Knisley and C.J. Kazilek. 2006. A field
guide to the tiger beetles of the United States and canada. Oxford
University press. New York.
Museum Specimens
this section sponsored
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