Table Of ContentPROC. ENTOMOL. SOC. WASH.
109(3), 2007, pp. 721-724
Note
Comments on the Conservation Status of the Tiger Beetle Cicindela ancocisconensis
T. W. Harris (Coleoptera: Carabidae: CicindeHnae)
The tiger beetle Cicindela ancocisco- absence ofrecent records across much of
nensis T. W. Harris has long been its historic range, including Ohio. They
considered an uncommon species. Al- recommended that any surviving popu-
though this beetle was discovered about lations of C. ancocisconensis in Ohio be
1850 and formally named in 1852, very considered for designation as an endan-
few specimens were known to science gered species, and that steps be taken to
until the early twentieth century, when protect these populations and their
E. D. Harris (son of T. W. Harris) habitats.
undertook a more systematic investiga- Such comments helped to set the stage
tion of riparian and riverine habitats for conservation actions involving this
around the type locality in New Hamp- tiger beetle, including its formal pro-
shire's White Mountains. Over a period tection under Maryland state law (Glaser
of several years, Harris collected a large 1992, Maryland Department of Natural
number of specimens of this beetle at Resources 2003). As with other rare tiger
sites in both New Hampshire and New beetles, C. ancocisconensis is actively
York (Harris 1911, 1916, 1917, 1918). tracked by the state Natural Heritage
Some of Harris's collecting localities in Programs throughout its range, and is
New Hampshire were resurveyed by currently listed as having a status of
Wilson and Larochelle (1979), who like- "Si" (critically imperiled within the
wise found the species to be abundant. state) in the states of Maryland, New
These authors described the habitat York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont
conditions at the type locality (large (NatureServe 2006).
sand bars and sandy islands on the Saco Having had recent field experiences
River) and summarized museum speci- with this species in New Hampshire and
men records which indicated a broad but West Virginia, I suspect that it occurs at
somewhat patchy distribution from Que- more sites within its known range than
bec south to Georgia and west to Illinois. these state Natural Heritage rankings
C
The first indication that this tiger would indicate. Certain attributes of
beetle might be of conservation concern ancocisconensis suggest that this species
was a short publication by John Stama- is probably often overlooked. The adult
tov (1970) noting a lack of recent beetles are cryptically colored and may
collections at historic sites in New York be difficult to locate when at rest on
and New Hampshire. However, this note certain sand or cobble substrates. The
was published before the more intensive adults are also quite wary and, in my
survey efforts described by Wilson and experience, are faster to fly when dis-
Larochelle (1979), which resulted in the turbed than adults of other tiger beetle
discovery of large populations in the species found in the same riparian
latter state. Further concerns were ex- habitats. Finally, adults in areas that I
pressed by Graves and Brzoska (1991) in have surveyed tend to be found in
their review of the Ohio tiger beetle slightly different microhabitats than
fauna. These authors inferred a general adults of other sympatric riparian tiger
decline in C. ancocisconensis from the beetles (small vegetated patches of silty
722 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
sand for C. cmcocisconensis versus areas either when at rest or after they have
C
of open sand or cobble for repanda taken flight.
and C duodeciinguttata). Given the In New Hampshire, I also observed
abundance of apparently suitable sand (but did not survey) extensive areas of
bar habitat within the known range of C apparently suitable habitat for this spe-
ancocisconensis, and the relatively small cies along the Pemigewasset River. Philip
number of experienced workers who J. Darlington, Jr., collected large series
have actively searched for this beetle, of specimens of C. cmcocisconensis along
there is a strong possibility that many this river in the early twentieth century
more populations await discovery. (Wilson and Larochelle 1979), and po-
In September, 2004, and May, 2006, I pulations probably still occur there.
searched for C. cmcocisconensis at sites in During a short trip to West Virginia in
New Hampshire. I found adults to be September, 2005, I found adults of C.
common and occasionally even abun- cmcocisconensis to be common along the
dant at multiple localities along both the North River in Hampshire County, a lo-
Saco and Ammonoosuc rivers in the cality which was first noted by Glaser
White Mountains. On these rivers, C. (1984). This habitat consisted of small
ancocisconensis is associated with large areas of silty sand along a shallow, bed-
sand and cobble bars in river channels rock-dominated river channel. Adults
which flow through areas of unconsoli- were found basking on the sand and on
dated glacial till (both morainal and the exposed bedrock. As in New Hamp-
outwash deposits). Unlike adults of the shire, this species was more wary and
associated species C. duodecimguttata difficult to approach than either C.
C C
Dejean and repanda Dejean, adults duodecimguttata or repanda, both of
of C. ancocisconensis are seldom found which were abundant along this river.
out on the open sand or cobble. Rather, Acciavatti et al. (1992) conducted a
the beetles spend most of their time much more extensive survey of riparian
foraging and basking within small vege- habitats in West Virginia. These authors
tated patches, which are typically located concluded that C. ancocisconensis is
on areas ofsilty sand along the bankside "not uncommon and may be abundant"
edge of the bar, or in sandy pockets along the major river systems in that
within a larger cobble bar. Vegetation in state.
these patches consists of low, sparse Similar in-depth surveys have yet to be
grasses, perennial herbs (including spe- conducted in major portions of the
cies of the genera Conyza, Erigeron, historic range of this species. States
Solidago (all family Asteraceae) and where additional effort could be focused
Monarda (family Lamiaceae)), or low include Maine, New York, Pennsylvania,
shrubs (principally Salix species, family and Vermont. There are very few historic
Salicaceae). The adult beetles are quite or recent records from Maine, although
wary and take flight at the slightest Wilson and Larochelle (1979) and Wil-
disturbance. Escape flights ofthis species son and Brower (1983) indicated that C.
are long and straight, with flights of ancocisconensis is likely to be widespread
10 meters or more not uncommon. Such in the state (but see remarks on habitat
flights often take the beetles well out alteration by Nelson and LaBonte 1989).
onto the bar, or even across the river to In New York, historic records span
an adjacent bar. The brown and white much of the state, from Buffalo and
coloration of this tiger beetle is strongly Cazenovia in the west to the Catskills
cryptic on the sand and cobble of its and Adirondacks in the east and north
habitat, and adults are not easily located (Wilson and Larochelle 1979). Recent
VOLUME NUMBER
109, 3 723
work by P. Novak, W. Gall, J. Huether, to examine specimens in their care.
and K. Will has resulted in the discovery Corinne M. Carter provided helpful
of previously unknown populations at assistance with the field portions of this
sites in New York such as the Zoar study, while C. Barry Knisley and
Valley of Cattaraugus County and Michael A. Valenti provided valuable
Letchworth State Park (Rising 1998, K. comments on the manuscript. I thank
Will, personal communication). Given Kipling W. Will for introducing me to
the large size ofNew York State and the this tiger beetle during our graduate
abundance ofglacial till over much ofits student days at Cornell University.
C
area, additional populations of anco-
Literature Cited
cisconensis probably await discovery. In
Pennsylvania, there are very few historic Acciavatti, R. E. 1992. More new Ohio county
C
records of ancocisconensis (Wilson records for Cicindelidae including the rediscov-
caenndtlyLaeRxoacmhielnleed s1e9r7i9e)s. oHfowsepveecirm,enIsrien- eOmrheyinotofCCoailtceUoupltheetlrtaipsa:tn/c/1ow(s3wi)w,s.cWooohniernolscdioslWe[isoid.c]eorHWga/remrbiesm.dboeTcrhuse-/
two major museum collections that were issues/issl~3.asp (accessed May 25, 2006).
collected in the 1980s at sites on the Acciavatti, R. E., T. J. Allen, and C. Stuart. 1992.
Clarion River in Jefferson County, Penns The West Virginia tiger beetles (Coleoptera:
Creek in Centre County, and Pine Creek Cicindelidae). Cicindela 24(3-*): 45-78.
Bell, R.T.Nodate.ZadockThompsonInvertebrate
in Tioga County. These records suggest Collection: Tiger Beetles of Vermont. World
a fairly broad distribution for this species Wide Web document at: http://www.uvm.edu/
within Pennsylvania. Finally, there are —rtbell/Tigers.html (accessed May 25, 2006).
very few records from Vermont, al- Glaser, J. D. 1984. The Cicindelidae (Coleoptera)
though areas of apparently suitable of Maryland. Maryland Entomologist 2(4):
65-76.
habitat are found in the more mountain-
Glaser, J. R. 1992. Cicindelaancocisconensis Harris
ous regions of this state (Leonard and (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)in Maryland. Mary-
Bell 1999, Bell no date). land Entomologist 4: 145-146.
More comprehensive surveys in these Graves, R. C. and D. W. Brzoska. 1991. The tiger
and other states will undoubtedly pro- beetles of Ohio (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae).
Bulletin of the Ohio Biological Survey (new
vide a clearer picture of the overall
series) 8: 1^2.
conservation status ofC. ancocisconensis. Harris, E. D. 1911. List of the North American
However, the evidence presented here Cicindelidae in the Harris Collection. Truan
suggests that this species is probably not Press, Yonkers, New York. 68 pp.
rare and likely will be found at more sites . 1916. Proceedings. Meeting of October 3,
than are currently known. This is not to 1916. Journal ofthe New York Entomological
imply that the species may not be oflocal Soc.ie1t9y172.4(4P)r:oc3e0e9d-i3n1g1s.. Meeting of February
or even regional conservation concern: it 20, 1917. Journal of the New York Entomo-
is evidently extirpated from Massachu- logical Society 25(2): 136-138.
setts (NatureServe 2006) and few extant . 1918. Proceedings. Meeting of November
populations are known from Ohio (Ac- 5, 1917. Journal ofthe New York Entomolog-
ctiiaovnasttmiay199b2e).apWprhoiplreiactoensinersvaotmieonparatcs- LeoniTaciraglde,rSoJBc.eieGett.lyesa:2n6dA(3R-F4.i)e:Tl.d2G3Beu6l-il2.d3e81.9t9o9T.igNeorrtBheeeatlsetseronf
of its range, overall this species is New England and Eastern Canada. CRC
probably secure at present. Press, Boca Raton, Florida, xii + 176 pp.
I thank Terry L. Erwin of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
National Museum of Natural History, 2003. Rare, threatened, and endangered ani-
mals ofMaryland, December 12, 2003. World
Smithsonian Institution, and Lee Her- Wide Web document at http://dnrweb.dnr.
man of the American Museum of Nat- state.md.us/download/rteanimals.pdf(accessed
ural History, New York, for permission May 25, 2006).
)
724 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
NatureServe, Cicindela ancocisconensis, March 31, Wilson, D. A. and A. E. Brower. 1983. The
2004. World Wide Web document at http:// Cicindelidae of Maine. Cicindela 15(1^):
www.natureserve.org (accessed May 25, 2006). 1-33.
Nelson, R. E. andJ. R. LaBonte. 1989. Rediscovery Wilson, D. A. and A. Larochelle. 1979. Cicindela
of Cicindela ancocisconensis T. W. Harris and ancocisconensis T. W. Harris. Cicindela 11(3):
first records for C. scutellarisleconteiHaldeman 33-48.
in Maine. Cicindela 21(3^): 49-54.
Rising, G. 1998. Tiger Beetles, column in the Jonathan R. Mawdsley, Research
September21, 1998. BuffaloNews.WorldWide Associate, Department of Entomology,
Webdocumentat http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/ National Museum of Natural History,
e~dinMsraiysg/2n5a,t2u0r0e6/)n.w98/tigerbeetles.html (access- SMmRitChsonian Institution, PD.OC. Box 37012,
Stamatov, J. 1970. Collecting one-a-year tigers. 187, Washington, 20013-7012
Cicindela 2(2): 11-12. U.S.A. (e-triail: [email protected]
