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Hard shell, shiny, six legs=Help, WTB!?!
The thing that threw me off about this one is the way it jumped across the yard like a small grasshopper then coasted/flew about a foot and a half before landing. I went after it to catch the this ‘grasshopper’ for my cats who are indoors and enjoy the occasional bug to play with. When I put my foot on it and bent to pick it up, I saw the iridescent green and turquoise beetle. I don’t know where to look as I just moved to Gillette, WY and am unfamiliar with the things in our unmowed and unkempt yard. Oh, and it tried to bite. The closest I can come is the Tiger Beatle. But what is with the gold lines and spots? Very pretty bug, though. I just found the exact replica of my beetle! I think. Is the information I found true? It’s a Cicindela patruela patruela,Patterned Green Tiger Beetle? It gave me this picture and also says only once was recorded in the 19th century in Burlington.
Rachel

Hi Rachel,
It is impossible to give an accurate identification of your beetle based on the photo, but we do agree it is a Tiger Beetle. We love your drawing so much we are inclined to agree this is Cicindela patruela, the Barrens Tiger Beetle according to BugGuide.

Update (08/22/2006)
Hello Lisa Anne and Daniel, I recently came across your website and I was pleased to see such a vibrant (and well-done) site. I’m an entomologist and evolutionary biologist (specializing on the systematics, taxonomy and evolution of tiger beetles and their close relatives) and I have to say that I’m impressed with your accuracy rate! It’s much, much better than other comparable sites I’ve come across over the years. The two of you must really love insects. I’ll bookmark your site and check it out when I’m having trouble sleeping again!
Even from the blurry photograph, it can be unequivocally identified as Cicindela purpurea (don’t let the name fool you, out west they are mostly green!). This is a very common species in WY and most of the continent (although most abundant in the western shortgrass prairie). It’s impressive that you caught it without a net!
Daniel P. Duran
Dept. of Biological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN

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