The Ohlone tiger beetle, endemic to California, is a member of the family of ground beetles. It was first discovered in 1987 and named in 1993 by Freitag & Kavanaugh.
Size: 9.5 to 12.5 mm
Color: It has a bright, silky green body, with shades of bronze of its upper col3s, alongcol3 the wing covers or elytra.
Other Characteristic Features: Females are generally larger than males, while both sexes have long, slender legs.
The larvae go through three different instars, with the first lasting for 3-5 weeks, the second 5-10 weeks, and the final for 7-8 weeks. They burrow themselves underground and feed on whatever prey passes by. Though the exact description of this species’ larva remains unrecorded, like other tiger beetles, they too could be large-headed and hump-backed.
They pupate underground and then emerge as an adult.
The egg is deposited into a few millimeters in the soil by the females after breeding.
| Lifespan | 6 weeks |
| Distribution | Santa Cruz County, California |
| Habitat | Coastal terraces with sandy clay or poorly drained clay |
| Seasons active | Late winter to spring |
| Predators | Parasitoid wasp |
| Diet of adults | Small arthropods |
These beetles have reported no damage.
Image Source: bugguide.net, cff2.earth.com, biologicaldiversity.org, alchetron.com
The Ohlone tiger beetle, endemic to California, is a member of the family of ground beetles. It was first discovered in 1987 and named in 1993 by Freitag & Kavanaugh.
Size: 9.5 to 12.5 mm
Color: It has a bright, silky green body, with shades of bronze of its upper col3s, alongcol3 the wing covers or elytra.
Other Characteristic Features: Females are generally larger than males, while both sexes have long, slender legs.
The larvae go through three different instars, with the first lasting for 3-5 weeks, the second 5-10 weeks, and the final for 7-8 weeks. They burrow themselves underground and feed on whatever prey passes by. Though the exact description of this species’ larva remains unrecorded, like other tiger beetles, they too could be large-headed and hump-backed.
They pupate underground and then emerge as an adult.
The egg is deposited into a few millimeters in the soil by the females after breeding.
| Lifespan | 6 weeks |
| Distribution | Santa Cruz County, California |
| Habitat | Coastal terraces with sandy clay or poorly drained clay |
| Seasons active | Late winter to spring |
| Predators | Parasitoid wasp |
| Diet of adults | Small arthropods |
These beetles have reported no damage.
Image Source: bugguide.net, cff2.earth.com, biologicaldiversity.org, alchetron.com
