Ellipsoptera hamata
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Ellipsoptera hamata, the coastal tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Cicindelidae. It is found in Central America and North America. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Coastal Tiger Beetle sighting in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 29th most-seen of the 74 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Coastal Tiger Beetle in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, against under 5% in November to April, the lowest months. That is one of Padre Island National Seashore's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 40 mm in February.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Coastal Tiger Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Coastal Tiger Beetle sightings, Padre Island National Seashore ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 10%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Coastal Tiger Beetle that you can see in Padre Island National Seashore (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Phanaeus difformis (about 10%), Fringed Diving Beetle (about 10%) and Spotted Cucumber Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Coastal Tiger Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Padre Island National Seashore (12 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
