Abstract
Reliable monitoring of the population ecology of rare species and determination of important habitat variables are critical for determining extinction risk and for development of management plans. The goal of this research was to ascertain basic population ecology and define important habitat and prey variables for the rare northern barrens tiger beetle, Cicindela patruela patruela Dejean (Coleoptera: Carabidae), at Sam’s Point Preserve, NY. Mark- recapture surveys spanning three years were conducted and habitat use and prey abundance assessed within a single year. Over a two-year period, the population grew from 81 (95% CI 75 to 99) to 109 (95% CI 101 to 128) individuals with an occupancy estimate of 0.79 ± 0.16. Percent cover of pebbles, moss/lichen, and small sand grains were important variables associated with C. patruela presence. Priority should be given to identification of new populations outside the current known distribution in NY as well as further identification and preservation of critical habitat features.