Summary of developmental stages for C. theatina

Year

Stage of Development

Period of Development

Month of Year

1

egg to 1st instar*
 

14 days

May - June

1

1st instar to 2nd instar
 

28 - 34 days

June - July

1

2nd instar to 3rd instar
 

30 - 34 days

July - Aug

2

3rd instar to teneral
adult**

1 year

Aug to Aug

3

teneral adult to
reproductive adult

9 - 10 months

Aug - May/June

*instar - Many larval insects go through successive molts before they can mature into an adult. The Great Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle molts three times before becoming a teneral adult.

**teneral adult - The stage of maturity after the last molt, when a tiger beetle has taken the adult form, but has not matured enough to be able to reproduce.

(Phyllis M. Pineda and Boris C. Kondratieff. 2003; Phyllis M. Pineda and Boris C. Kondratieff. 2002.)