TIGER BEETLES 167 
The greatest restriction for tiger beetle colonies appears to be vegetation. Behind 
many ocean beaches there are now farm pastures or pine forests. On the dunes, 
vegetation such as marram grass is further restricting the open sand spaces where tiger 
beetles run. They often fly out from cover and drop onto open sand to forage. The 
flight and run are typically quick and short, and are interspersed with motionless 
pauses. 
These beetles fly actively in the sun but disappear suddenly if a cloud obscures it. 
However, they can be active in times of more diffuse light such as late in the afternoon 
or when a thin sheet of cloud is present. 
At Pakiri, late in the season, they were found around the edges of damp sand flats 
behind dunes (where there were dense concentrations of small flies). Elsewhere they 
can occur on the backs of fore-dunes or in sheltered hollows. 
Seasonal. Specimens do not seem to have been taken earlier than December but this 
may not represent the earliest for coastal tiger beetle activity in a summer season. 
Previously the latest activity noted after the summer season was a group of 
specimens collected at Pakiri on | April 1961 by J.C. Watt and specimens taken at 
Bethells beach by the author on | April 1969. 
Towards the end of the 1987/88 summer season, in early March 1988, Tropical 
Cyclone Bola caused havoc in the North I as it moved southwards and both east and 
west coasts were affected. Fore-dunes were wave-cut and subsequently much wind- 
blown loose sand was deposited on frontal dunes. While tiger beetles were still active 
later in March and early April few have been seen since. Gales have caused further 
wave-cutting and have covered parts of fore-dunes with sand to over 30 cm in many 
places, which may have affected the season for beetle activity. During the March-April 
period it was noticeable that tiger beetle activity was almost entirely behind the fore- 
dunes. 
The first visit made by the author to Pakiri on the east coast was on 12 April 1988, 
when tiger beetles were still active around the edges of damp sand flats (occasionally 
flooded) behind the low dunes. The next day one was taken at Baylys Beach on the 
west coast but there were none further north. In the far north no tiger beetles have been 
seen on Ninety Mile Beach in April, May, June or July and the last four at Rarawa 
Beach were seen on 19 May. 
Some tiger beetles were active between Te Arai and Ruakaka on the east coast in 
late April and at Pakiri and Uretiti on 17 May. Three were seen at Pakiri on 22 June 
but none later in June at Uretiti, Ruakaka, Hukatere or Rarawa beaches. None were 
seen at Hukatere or Rarawa later in July but one individual was found moving slowly 
on the sand at Uretiti on 22 July 1988. 
