Cicindela pupurea audubonii LeConte Cicindela purpurea audubonii LeConte
Distribution in North Dakota
Identification: Medium body size, about 13 to 15 mm in length. Dorsal surfaces of head and prothorax black (specimens with black elytra) or metallic bronze (specimens with green elytra). Dorsal surface of elytra either black or metallic green. Elytral markings light. Humeral lunule almost always absent, but may be represented by a dot or two. Middle band usually present as a rounded oblique line, but sometimes may appear as a transverse dash. Apical lunule broken. Marginal line absent. Labrum tridentate. Clypeus glabrous. Frons and genae with erect setae. Antennal scape with five sensory setae and several accessory setae.
Remarks: North Dakota specimens of C. purpurea belong to the subspecies C. purpurea audubonii LeConte. Two color phases occur. The green color phase can be separated from the similar C. denverensis and C. limbalis by the shape of the middle band. The middle band is rounded in C. purpurea and sharply angled in C. denverensis and C. limbalis. Weakly marked individuals of the black color phase most closely resembles C. nebraskana and can be separated from that species by the presence of setae on the frons and the short labrum.
Habitat: Loamy soils in sparsely vegetated prairie areas.
North Dakota Distribution: In suitable habitats statewide.
Season: A spring/fall species. Adults are most active in late May and early June, and again in September.