Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

New opportunities for conservation of a rare tiger beetle on developed barrier island beaches

  • ORIGINAL PAPER
  • Published:
Journal of Insect Conservation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Ellipsoptera lepida, the ghost tiger beetle, is in decline throughout much of its range, especially in the northeastern United States. In New Jersey, the species was known from 18 historic coastal dune and interior upland sites, although modern collection records for the species are rare.

Aims/Methods

Because of the decline of E. lepida, the authors performed extensive surveys of historic sites, as well as potential undocumented sites based on satellite imagery during 2014–2015. One of the previously undocumented sites was an anthropogenic dune on a developed barrier island that had only been constructed 3–4 years prior. Because of its novelty, we conducted more intensive surveys at this site to document abundance and characterize adult and larval habitat.

Results

Many historic sites were apparently extirpated or contained small numbers of beetles, although several new populations were located at coastal and inland sites. Abundance of adults and larvae in constructed dunes greatly exceeded densities recorded at other coastal sites. An analysis of vegetation density based on satellite imagery indicates that E. lepida larvae and adults depend on early and mid-successional dunes for optimal habitat.

Discussion

Nearly all inland sites appear to be suitable only because of incidental anthropogenic habitat disturbance while natural disturbance processes play a greater role in maintaining habitat at coastal sites. The high densities we observed in constructed dunes are likely because the constructed dune system is at a single, highly suitable successional stage. This species is unlike another rare coastal tiger beetle native to New Jersey, Habroscelimorpha dorsalis, in that it can persist in the presence of beach vehicle and pedestrian disturbance if suitable dunes are available.

Implications for insect conservation

Our findings indicate the potential for creating and maintaining additional habitat for Ellipsoptera lepida in parts of its range where it may be declining.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Available from authors upon request.

References

  • Almarshed B, Figlus J, Miller J, Verhagen HJ (2019) Innovative coastal risk reduction through hybrid design: combining sand cover and structural defenses. J Coast Res 36:174–188. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-18-00078.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson NT, Marchisio GB (2012) WorldView-2 and the evolution of the DigitalGlobe remote sensing satellite constellation: introductory paper for the special session on WorldView-2. In: Algorithms and Technologies for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery XVIII. International Society for Optics and Photonics, p 83900L

  • Austin MJ, Walker-Springett GR (2020) Comment on ‘Is ‘re-mobilisation’nature restoration or nature destruction? A commentary’by I. Delgado-Fernandez, RGD Davidson-Arnott & PA Hesp. J Coast Conserv 24:1–4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Askins RA (2001) Sustaining biological diversity in early successional communities: the challenge of managing unpopular habitats

  • Austin MJ et al (2021) Walker-Springett GRComment on: “Is ‘re-mobilisation’ nature restoration or nature destruction? A commentary”, by Delgado-Fernandez. J Coast Conserv 25:1–4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-021-00806-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bouffard S, Tindall K, Fothergill K (2009) Herbicide treatment to restore St. Anthony Dune tiger beetle habitat: a pilot study. Cicindela 41:13–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyd HP (1890) (1978) The Tiger Beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) of New Jersey with Special Reference to Their Ecological Relationships. Trans Am Entomol Soc 104:191–242. https://doi.org/10.2307/25078224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buglife (2009) Planning for brownfield biodiversity: a best practice guide. Buglife—The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, Peterborough

  • Burger J (1987) Physical and social determinants of nest-site selection in Piping Plover in New Jersey. Condor 811–818

  • Cornelisse TM, Vasey MC, Holl KD, Letourneau DK (2013) Artificial bare patches increase habitat for the endangered Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicindela ohlone). J Insect Conserv 17:17–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa LL, Zalmon IR (2019) Sensitivity of macroinvertebrates to human impacts on sandy beaches: A case study with tiger beetles (Insecta, Cicindelidae). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 220:142–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2019.02.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creer J, Ratcliffe J, Rees S, et al (2020) A comment on some of the conclusions made by Delgado-Fernandez et al.(2019).“Is ‘re-mobilisation’nature conservation or nature destruction? A commentary”. J Coast Conserv 24:

  • Delgado-Fernandez I, Davidson-Arnott RGD, Hesp PA (2019) Is ‘re-mobilisation’ nature restoration or nature destruction? A commentary. J Coast Conserv 23:1093–1103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-019-00716-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donner DM, Ribic CA, Probst JR (2009) Male Kirtland’s Warblers’ patch-level response to landscape structure during periods of varying population size and habitat amounts. For Ecol Manag 258:1093–1101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellis EC (2013) Sustaining biodiversity and people in the world’s anthropogenic biomes. Curr Opin Environ Sustain 5:368–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.07.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feagin RA, Figlus J, Zinnert JC et al (2015) Going with the flow or against the grain? The promise of vegetation for protecting beaches, dunes, and barrier islands from erosion. Front Ecol Environ 13:203–210. https://doi.org/10.1890/140218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Formstone B, Howe M Brownfield sites and their value for invertebrates–A survey of selected sand quarries in north-east Wales in 2013: Borras Quarry and Marford Quarry

  • Hall MJ, Pilkey OH (1991) Effects of Hard Stabilization on Dry Beach Width for New Jersey. J Coast Res 7:771–785

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamilton CC (1925) Studies on the morphology, taxonomy, and ecology of the larvae of Holarctictiger-beetles (family Cicindelidae). Proc U S Natl Mus 65:1–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hennessy G, Goulson D, Ratnieks FL (2020) Population assessment and foraging ecology of nest aggregations of the rare solitary bee, Eucera longicornis at Gatwick Airport, and implications for their management. J Insect Conserv 24:947–960

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kershner EL, Bollinger EK (1996) Reproductive success of grassland birds at east-central Illinois airports. Am Midl Nat 358–366

  • King DI, Schlossberg S (2014) Synthesis of the conservation value of the early-successional stage in forests of eastern North America. For Ecol Manag 324:186–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knisley CB (2011) Anthropogenic disturbances and rare tiger beetle habitats: benefits, risks, and implications for conservation. Terr Arthropod Rev 4:41–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knisley CB (2009) Distribution and Abundance of Two Rare Tiger Beetles, Cicindela Dorsalis Media and C. Lepida, at Assateague Island National Seashore in 2008. Assateague Island National Seashore

  • Knisley CB, Gwiazdowski R (2020) Conservation strategies for protecting tiger beetles and their habitats in the United States: studies with listed species (coleoptera: carabidae: cicindelidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saaa046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knisley CB, Hill JM (1997) Distribution and abundance of the northeastern beach tiger beetle, Cicindela dorsalis dorsalis, in relation to shoreline modifications in Virginia. Rep Va Dep Agric Consum Aff Richmond VA

  • Knisley CB, Kippenhan M, Brzoska D (2014) Conservation status of United States tiger beetles. Terr Arthropod Rev 7:93–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knisley CB, Pearson DL (1984) Biosystematics of larval tiger beetles of the Sulphur Springs Valley, Arizona. Descriptions of species and a review of larval characters for Cicindela (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae). Trans Am Entomol Soc 465–551

  • Knisley CB, Schultz TD (1997) The biology of tiger beetles and a guide to the species of the South Atlantic States. Virginia Museum of Natural

  • Lindeløv JK (2020) mcp: An R Package for Regression With Multiple Change Points

  • Longcore T, Mattoni R, Zonneveld C, Bruggeman J (2003) INsect Count Analyzer: a tool to assess responses of butterflies to habitat restoration. Ecol Restor 21:60–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Luque SS (2000) The challenge to manage the biological integrity of nature reserves: a landscape ecology perspective. Int J Remote Sens 21:2613–2643

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marion JL (2005) —Management, Monitoring, and Protection Protocols for Seabeach Amaranth at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina. Rev Synth Sci Inf Relat Biol Manag Species Spec Concern Cape Hatteras Natl Seashore N C 89

  • Maun MA, Perumal J (1999) Zonation of vegetation on lacustrine coastal dunes: effects of burial by sand. Ecol Lett 2:14–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLachlan A, Defeo O, Jaramillo E, Short AD (2013) Sandy beach conservation and recreation: Guidelines for optimising management strategies for multi-purpose use. Ocean Coast Manag 71:256–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2012.10.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NatureServe (2017) NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life . Version 7.1. In: Cicindela Lepida - Dejean 1831 Ghost Tiger Beetle. http://explorer.natureserve.org

  • Nordstrom KF, Lampe R, Vandemark LM (2000) Reestablishing naturally functioning dunes on developed coasts. Environ Manage 25:37–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson D, Knisley C, Duran DP, Kazilek CJ (2015) A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada: Identification, Natural History, and Distribution of the Cicindelinae, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson DL, Cassola F (1992) World-wide species richness patterns of tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): indicator taxon for biodiversity and conservation studies. Conserv Biol 6:376–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson DL, Vogler AP (2001) Tiger beetles: the evolution, ecology, and diversity of the cicindelids. Cornell University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Pye K, Blott SJ (2020) Is ‘re-mobilisation’nature restoration or nature destruction? A Commentary Discussion J Coast Conserv 24:10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2020) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. The R Foundation, Vienna, p 2017

    Google Scholar 

  • Reo B (2014) Coastal dune stabilization & erosion-prevention during Superstorm Sandy: A comparison of native American beachgrass & invasive Asiatic sand sedge. Villanova University

  • Ross HA (1980) Growth of nestling Ipswich Sparrows in relation to season, habitat, brood size, and parental age. Auk 97:721–732

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruessink BG, Arens SM, Kuipers M, Donker JJA (2018) Coastal dune dynamics in response to excavated foredune notches. Aeolian Res 31:3–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Satoh A, Hori M (2005) Microhabitat segregation in larvae of six species of coastal tiger beetles in Japan. Ecol Res 20:143–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-004-0028-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savage RP, Woodhouse WW Jr (1969) Creation and stabilization of coastal barrier dunes. Coast Eng 1968:671–700

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlesinger MD, Novak PG (2011) Status and conservation of an imperiled tiger beetle fauna in New York State, USA. J Insect Conserv 15:839–852

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schultz TD (1988) Destructive effects of off-road vehicles on tiger beetle habitat in central Arizona. Cicindela USA

  • Schupp CA, Winn NT, Pearl TL, et al (2013) Restoration of overwash processes creates piping plover (Charadrius melodus) habitat on a barrier island (Assateague Island, Maryland). Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 116:11–20

  • Sellars JD, Jolls CL (2007) Habitat modeling for Amaranthus pumilus: an application of light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data. J Coast Res 1193–1202

  • Shelford VE (1908) Life-histories and Larval Habits of the Tiger Beetles (Cicindelidć). Linnean society of London

  • Sigren JM, Figlus J, Armitage AR (2014) Coastal sand dunes and dune vegetation: restoration, erosion, and storm protection. Shore Beach 82:5–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith JB (1910) A report of the insects of New Jersey. In: Annual report of the New Jersey state museum. MacCrellish & Quigley, state printers, Trenton, NJ

  • Smith JAM, Niles LJ, Hafner S et al (2020) Beach restoration improves habitat quality for American horseshoe crabs and shorebirds in the Delaware Bay, USA. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 645:91–107. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson ME, Franklin JF, Beschta RL et al (2011) The forgotten stage of forest succession: early-successional ecosystems on forest sites. Front Ecol Environ 9:117–125. https://doi.org/10.1890/090157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tackett NW, Craft CB (2010) Ecosystem development on a coastal barrier island dune chronosequence. J Coast Res 26:736–742

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas JA, Edwards M, Simcox DJ et al (2015) Recent trends in UK insects that inhabit early successional stages of ecosystems. Biol J Linn Soc 115:636–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Der Wal D (1998) The impact of the grain-size distribution of nourishment sand on aeolian sand transport. J Coast Res 620–631

  • Van Rijn LC, Boer S (2007) The effects of grain size and bottom slope on sand transport in the coastal zone. In: Coastal Engineering 2006: (In 5 Volumes). World Scientific, pp 3066–3078

  • Vié J-C, Hilton-Taylor C, Pollock C, et al (2009) The IUCN Red List: a key conservation tool. Wildl Chang World–An Anal 2008 IUCN Red List Threat Species 1

  • Wootton LS, Halsey SD, Bevaart K et al (2005) When invasive species have benefits as well as costs: managing Carex kobomugi (Asiatic sand sedge) in New Jersey’s coastal dunes. Biol Invasions 7:1017–1027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zonneveld C (1991) Estimating death rates from transect counts. Ecol Entomol 16:115–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Barry Knisley for discussions about E. lepida management and for feedback on the manuscript. We would like to thank Jennifer Tronco-Armento and the staff at Joint Base-McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for access to survey sites on base. We also thank Connie Mahon and the city of Wildwood Crest for granting permission to access dune study sites. We thank Rick Stevens and Jason Ksepka for field assistance. Emily Heiser helped with access to E. lepida sites at Stone Harbor. Robert Somes offered early guidance on study objectives and helped facilitate access to field sites. David Wheeler and Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey along with Larry Niles and Stephanie Feigin of Wildlife Restoration Partnerships provided additional support and administration for the project and Mike Kilpatrick contributed photos. This work was funded in part by a Conserve Wildlife Matching Grant Program grant to the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

Funding

This work was funded in part by a NJDEP Conserve Wildlife Matching Grant to the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Oceanville, NJ, USA

    Joseph A. M. Smith

  2. Cape May County Department of Mosquito Control, Cape May Court House, NJ, USA

    Kyle J. Rossner

  3. Department of Environmental Science, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA

    Daniel P. Duran

  4. Wildlife Restoration Partnerships, Greenwich, NJ, USA

    Joseph A. M. Smith

Authors
  1. Joseph A. M. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kyle J. Rossner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel P. Duran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joseph A. M. Smith.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 912 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Smith, J.A.M., Rossner, K.J. & Duran, D.P. New opportunities for conservation of a rare tiger beetle on developed barrier island beaches. J Insect Conserv 25, 733–745 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-021-00339-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-021-00339-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation