This emerald green beetle with cream spots is one of the most attractive species of ground beetle in Ireland. Adults are active in sunshine, but can be very hard to see as they fly off at the least sign of disturbance. Usually the first sign of its presence, is the sight of a green blur accompanied by a load buzz as the beetle flies away a few metres. They are found on well-drained sites with sandy or thin peaty soils. The larvae live in burrows constructed in dry open areas. They ambush insects that venture near the burrow entrance. The long-legged adults which are equipped with ferocious jaws and large eyes, are also predatory.
The general consensus amongst present-day taxonomists is to include the tiger beetles in the Carabidae, but they have been separated as a distinct family in earlier classifications. There is only one Cicindela species in Ireland, but 5 are found in Britain and many more in southern Europe.