Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Adephaga
Family: Carabidae
Subfamily: Cicindelinae
Tribe: Cicindelini
Subtribe: Cicindelina
Genus: Neocicindela
Species: N. garnerae
Binomial name: Neocicindela garnerae
Synonym: Cicindela garnerae
Common name: South Island Tiger beetle
Neocicindela garnerae is a species of tiger beetle found down the east coast of the South Island.
The distinctive antennae are a distinguishing feature: "Antennae is contrastingly coloured, abruptly passing from yellow to black; antennal segments 1–4 mostly pale yellowish, 5–11 deep black..." (Larochelle & Larivière; FNZ 69; 2013).
Neocicindela garnerae is a ground predator, active on warm days running over clay banks with their legs spread wide. They are one of the fastest ground insects, covering all types of surfaces and the can change direction very quickly.
Their grubs, also known as 'penny doctors' live in deep holes on clay banks, eating insects which walk by.
Photographed roadside on top of Arthurs Pass, South Island.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
