Fauna
Insect

Boreal Long-Lipped Tiger Beetle

Cicindela longilabris

Also known as Long-lipped Tiger Beetle, Boreal Tiger Beetle

Active hunters of the northern coniferous biome, these beetles bask on exposed granite outcrops and bare gravel paths to absorb the solar heat needed for rapid sprinting. Adults pursue ants, spiders, and flies with explosive bursts of speed before impaling them on elongated, sickle-like mandibles. Below ground, sedentary larvae anchor themselves inside vertical burrows with abdominal hooks, waiting like spring traps to seize passing prey at the surface.

DiurnalPredatorFast-moving
Boreal Long-Lipped Tiger Beetle reference1 / 7
(c) Jimmy Dee, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Jimmy Dee · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAnts, Spiders, Small flies
Predators
  • Robber flies
  • Insectivorous birds
  • Shrews
ThreatsSoil compaction from off-road vehicles, habitat fragmentation, pesticide use
HabitatsBoreal coniferous forests, sandy trails, rocky outcrops, gravel roadsides
Life span2–3 years
Classification
  1. OrderColeoptera
  2. FamilyCarabidae
  3. GenusCicindela
  4. SpeciesCicindela longilabris
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Look ahead on paths: Watch several meters ahead on sunlit dirt roads, as adults flush quickly when approached.
  • Search during midday: Scan open granite and dry gravel during the warmest, brightest hours when they are most active.
Related species
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