The adult Miami tiger beetle is a small (6.5-9.0 millimeters), elongate beetle with an oval shape and bulging eyes. The underside of the abdomen is orange to orange-brown in color. It is uniquely identified by the shiny dark green dorsal surface, sometimes with a bronze cast and, without close examination in the field, may appear black; the pair of green hardened forewings covering the abdomen have reduced white markings consisting only of a small patch. Miami tiger beetle larvae are elongate with a white grub-like body and a dark or metallic head with large mandibles. Larvae are sedentary, occurring in permanent burrows flush with the ground surface. An enlarged dorsal portion of the fifth abdominal segment, with two pairs of hooks anchor the larvae into its permanent burrow, while the upper portion of the body extends to capture prey.