the Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China and Korea
Fine-art photographic collection
Cicindela sachalinensis raddei
A cold-region tiger beetle whose short summer must contain an entire season of high-speed hunting and reproduction.
About this species
Cicindela sachalinensis raddeiA. Morawitz, 1862
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Cicindela sachalinensis raddei is a northeastern Asian tiger beetle from climates with severe winters and brief warm seasons. Adults must reach operating temperature rapidly and use the limited summer window for feeding, mating and egg laying.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Coleoptera · Carabidae · Cicindela
Accepted taxon. · checked 2026-07-15
the Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China and KoreaBroad documented range and selected reference localities — not a complete occurrence map.
Open sandy or gravelly ground in continental and riverine landscapes.
Diurnal ground-running predator.
Predatory on small arthropods.
What makes this species remarkable?
Dark metallic cuticle absorbs solar energy efficiently, helping the beetle warm from cold ground to a body temperature suitable for sprinting.
When the surface becomes too hot, the same animal must seek shade or burrow, making daily activity a narrow balance between underheating and overheating.
Its larvae remain buffered below ground through seasonal extremes, with only the armoured head exposed when conditions permit ambush hunting.