New Zealand Tiger Beetle vs Thistle Tortoise Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | New Zealand Tiger Beetle | Thistle Tortoise Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Neocicindela tuberculata | Cassida rubiginosa |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Cicindelidae | Chrysomelidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm | 6-8 mm |
| Habitat | Deserts & Drylands | Grasslands |
| Diet | Predators | Herbivores |
| Regions | Oceania (New Zealand) | Europe, Asia, introduced to New Zealand and North America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
New Zealand Tiger Beetle
An endemic tiger beetle found on sandy and clay soils throughout New Zealand. It is an active visual predator that runs down prey on bare ground. The larvae are ambush predators that live in vertical burrows in the soil.
Did You Know?
New Zealand tiger beetles run so fast relative to their size that they temporarily go blind during pursuit, having to stop and re-locate their prey before sprinting again.
Thistle Tortoise Beetle
A pale green to yellowish-brown tortoise beetle with a somewhat flattened, circular body. It has been used as a biocontrol agent against invasive thistles in several countries.
Did You Know?
It was deliberately introduced to New Zealand and Canada as a biological control agent to combat invasive thistle species.