The Pacific Coast Tiger Beetle occurs only on lightly vegetated sand dunes along the Pacific coast of Washington and Oregon, and extreme northern California (environment: 6). One subspecies, C. b. frechini, replaces the other, C. b. bellissima, on beaches of the north Olympic Peninsula. The type specimen for C. b. frechini was collected on one of the two beaches of Makah Bay, on the Makah reservation. Olympic National Park lists C. b. frechini as an endemic to the Olympic Peninsula. (See ONP Endemics)

On 05 04 08, we drove to Sooes Beach, the southernmost of two accessible beaches on Makah Bay and first photographed C. b. frechini. Besides having been shot in the type location, our photos show the more ragged-edged middle line typical of this subspecies. (5). We’ve observed and photographed this subspecies on several subsequent visits to Makah Bay.

We also photographed the Western Tiger Beetle, C. oregona oregona, in this location, the only species C. b. frechini is known to occur with.

Identified using A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada by Pearson, Knisley and Kazilek.

Photos by Stephen Hart, Robbie Hart and Karen Hart.