Subject: Colorful Beetle
Location: Waunakee, Wisconsin
August 7, 2015 8:12 pm
Hello, hope you are both well!
We saw this colorful beetle when we were on a nature hike in Waunakee, Wisconsin last week. Such a beautiful hillside covered with wildflowers. Sunny day in the upper 80’s, on July 30th. Is it a soldier beetle?
Thank you!
Signature: Ellen
Dear Ellen,
This is most certainly a Soldier Beetle in the genus Chauliognathus, and we believe it is most likely a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus, which you can verify by comparing your individual to the images posted to BugGuide where it states the adults feed on: ” pollen and nectar of fall flowers, esp. goldenrod”.
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination