Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Scientific Name: Cicindela sexguttata

Order & Family: Coleoptera; Carabidae

Size: 10 to 14 mm (about 0.4 to 0.55 inches)

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle

Natural Habitat

Found in deciduous forests, open woodland paths, and edges of sunlit fields, often on logs or stones.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivorous predator; feeds on small insects, spiders, and other arthropods using its large mandibles.

Behavior Patterns

Diurnal and highly active; known for fast running and short, quick bursts of flight when disturbed. Larvae are sedentary 'ambush' predators living in vertical burrows.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits the ecosystem by controlling pest insect populations. While not dangerous to humans, they can deliver a small, harmless pinch if handled roughly.

Identified on: 4/27/2026