Trends in New England’s last native population of the federally threatened northeastern beach tiger beetle Cicindela d. dorsalis (Coleoptera: Carabidae) over 20 Years

Re-discovered in 1989, the Martha's Vineyard population of the Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle Cicindela d. dorsalis represents a relictual islandic population of a once widespread and abundant insect, now extirpated from mainland New England and a touchstone for barrier beach conservation. Phenology and yearly population fluctuations are examined against a backdrop of major storm events and dune morphology, the dynamic nature of which both constrains and sustains the beetle's viability over time. The population's behavioral and genetic uniqueness are briefly discussed in the context of ongoing reintroduction efforts and recent local mainland extirpation..