The Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) is a critically endangered subspecies of tiger beetle endemic to the saline wetlands of northern Lancaster County, Nebraska, adjacent to and immediately to the north of the city of Lincoln, Nebraska.

It is an important strategy for survival due to the intense conflict between related species for food and other resources.

There are many differences in adult densities and behavior between C. n. lincolniana and other subspecies of the tiger beetle such as C. n. knausi that can be attributed to the evolutionary history and divergence of this species.

The density of C. n. lincolniana adults peaks a month prior to C. n. knausi and they also prefer wetter habitats in comparison.

[4] C. n. lincolniana are restricted to the Salt Creek banks and its tributaries, the mud flats of saline marshes of northern Lancaster County, and Arbor Lake.

The eastern Nebraskan salt marsh community which encompasses the range of this species was studied which confirmed its low abundance and rareness.

[9] They prefer saline soil as the salt content stimulates ovipositioning which then impacts where the larvae will burrow.

For this reason, females take into account many factors such as location, access, salinity, and more in order to determine the ideal site for ovipositioning.

[10] The saline wetlands of eastern Nebraska are home to many sympatric tiger beetle species which leads to competition for similar resources.

Research reveals that subspecies, C. n. lincolniana, C. circumpicta, and C. togata, all use oviposition for niche partitioning, but with differences attributed to soil salinity.

Because the tiger beetle experiences high deaths in the larval stage, increased fecundity is a big advantage.

[5] Salt flats can reach high temperatures so the evolution of mechanisms has provided ways for this species to exist in harsh environments.

[5] Studies found that C. n. lincolniana spends the most time in the sun and in hotter temperatures which gives them access to resources when other species aren't around.

Mandible dipping is how tiger beetles drink water to quench their thirst so these behaviors allowed them to survive in high temperatures.

The destruction of their shallow seeps and saline wetlands deprive them of the water they need to remain in hotter temperatures further contributing to their extinction.

This species molts multiple times in three larval instars in which each stage has a larger burrow opening.

Fish and Wildlife Service published its "final rule" on critical habitat for the beetle in the Federal Register, designating 1,110 acres for conservation effective June 5, 2014.

Fish and Wildlife Service has indicated they will downgrade its status from endangered to threatened once there are between 500 and 1,000 individuals in each of three protected zones, alongside additional habitat criteria.

Habitat destruction by drainage of the salt marshes for agriculture or development, by runoff from surrounding farms and the city of Lincoln, filling, and creek rechannelization has caused a significant reduction in the population of C. n. lincolniana.

There are a few new sites discovered with this rare species, however, the numbers are still low with the largest population being at the Little Salt Creek.

Since then, the beetles have been able to recolonize some soil edges, but it is important to protect the diminishing habitat this species has remaining.

[7] This species is extremely prone to extinction because not only are the saline wetlands that they live in decreasing, but there are also very few seeps and pools within them.

[5] This species has lost over 90% of its habitat to date, suffering from invasive vegetation from plants, cattle grazing, water changes, and impacts from humans.

Surrounding agricultural fields placed these beetles in both direct and indirect contact through water contamination with these pesticides.

This is why routine pesticide testing must be conducted in order to ensure that these populations are protected from these harmful substances.

[12] In 2011, the City of Lincoln, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lower Platte South Natural Resource District, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln Children's Zoo, and the University of Nebraska banded together to breed these beetles in hopes of reintroducing them to their populations.