Beetles are a source of many troubles in pantries and kitchens. But can they also cause harm to you directly? For example, do soldier beetles bite? Let’s find out.
Pollinators are great for the flowers in your garden as they help carry plant pollen and spread it far and wide.
But do you know that frequent visits from pollinators like bees can even damage the precious flowers in your garden?
Yes, it is true: bees can damage your flowers.
But there are some pollinators that cause absolutely no harm to your flowers. One such species is the soldier beetle. In this article, we will learn more about them and their behavior.
What Are They?
Soldier beetles are active flying insects that show an average growth of 0.5 inches and have yellow to tannish or dark brown-colored bodies.
These insects look similar to bees and wasps and are often spotted roaming or mating around flowers.
You will be interested to know that these insects are somewhat related to fireflies, but they don’t glow in the dark.
If you look closely, you will notice that the adult beetles have black-colored heads and wing covers that partially cover the body.
The soldier beetle larvae are also black in color, and they look a little like alligators. These larvae show an average growth of 0.75 inches in length.
Common Types of Soldier Beetles
The family of soldier beetles is divided into five categories, and these species are scattered throughout the world.
Asia, Central America, North America, South America, and Oceania are some of the regions where you can find these beetles.
Mentioned below are the five species of soldier beetles:
- Chauliognathinae
- Cantharinae
- Dysmorphocerinae
- Silinae
- Malthininae
Do They Bite?
Soldier beetles are harmless to humans as they do not bite or attack. These small beetles feed on pollen and nectar.
In fact, due to this habit of theirs, they can be considered good pollinators. Adding to that, they cause no harm or damage to plants or flower beds while feeding as well.
Are They Poisonous/Venomous?
Solider beetles are not harmful to humans. They are not aggressive, and they usually lie down to play dead when they sense danger.
Also, their colorful bodies signal to predators that they are not good in taste, which is why they are not attacked much.
At times they can be mistaken for a wasp or a bee, but they are not the same and will not sting you.
However, you must note that these insects secrete a defensive liquid that makes them appear unappealing to the prey.
Are They Harmful or Beneficial?
As mentioned throughout the article, adult soldier beetles are not harmful to humans; these beetles fall in the category of beneficial insects due to their great pollinating abilities.
Since they mostly rely on pollens and nectar to complete their diet, they regularly fall from one another throughout their lifetime. Also they mate around flowers as well.
The beetle larva is also important as it actively consumes the aphids that pose a threat to the valuable plants in your garden.
Due to these qualities, gardeners often create suitable conditions for these beetles to come and live in their gardens.
Soldier Beetle Life Cycle
Soldier beetles have four major stages in their life cycle: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. They show complete metamorphosis, unlike many other insects.
The cycle starts when the female beetles lay their insect eggs in the topsoil—these eggs hatch in about a week.
Once the larvae come out, they live for 1-3 years before starting the pupation process. These larvae spend most of their time under loose bark and debris.
This process occurs in a cell built underground. The adult usually starts emerging in late July, and at times these beetles can have two generations in a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are beetles poisonous if they bite you?
Usually, beetle bites are not poisonous to humans, but there is a chance of the bite triggering an allergic reaction in the body.
Some beetle bites can be highly painful and can cause problems like redness, swelling, irritation, and more.
Why are soldier beetles in my house?
You will usually find soldier beetles in your house during the winter when they search for warm spots to survive the cold.
Also, since they are highly attracted by flowers, having fresh flowers inside your house for decoration can lure these beetles in search of pollen and nectar.
How do I get rid of the soldier beetle?
Since soldier beetles are harmless and do not bite, there is no need to take any drastic measures to remove them from your garden.
Moreover, these insects cause no damage to the plants and flowers that they feed on. Just ignore these insects for a while, and they will be gone.
How do I get rid of the soldier beetle?
No soldier beetles are not harmful as they do not sting and bite. Also, these insects are not aggressive and non-poisonous.
Soldier beetles are considered beneficial as they are great pollinators, and they help to get rid of aphids and other soft-bodied insects.
Wrap Up
Soldier beetles are a great addition to your garden as they increase pollination and remove unwanted pests like aphids.
Due to their bold appearance, people might consider them dangerous, but that is completely wrong. These insects are totally harmless.
We hope the article was informative. Thank you for reading it.
18 Comments. Leave new
I don’t know, this looks more like Lucidota atra, a diurnal species with reduced light organs, but a true firefly. Have a look: http://bugguide.net/node/view/5361
This is a box elder box they aré harmless
This is a Soldier Beetle, not a Boxelder Bug.
this is a completely black bug, the shape of a firefly (long oval). i’m not sure it has antenna as bold as the picture above. when I scooted it off my washcloth, it jumped instead of flying. I’ve seen these bugs many times but just curious what they were because I saw something about fireflies on tv that said not all fireflies light up. what do you think?
Not all Fireflies light up. Without an image, we cannot say for certain what you observed.
this beetle eats nectars and pollens and sometimes aphids. this beetle did not bite your child.
I was bitten by one today observing them! One landed on me and I didn’t know it until it bit me! So yeah, they can and apparently do bite.
I was also bitten by one, that landed on my leg. It hurt bad enough for me to keep my eyes peeped any time I go outside now.
I found in my home an all black bug that looks like a fire fly, but it is all black, no other coloring. It was walking across my rug.
THe weather has been hot and humid and little rain
I found in my home an all black bug that looks like a fire fly, but it is all black, no other coloring. It was walking across my rug.
THe weather has been hot and humid and little rain
Well actually I have been searching for this bug as I was bit by one this afternoon! It’s identical to the one that bit me and it was painful and I have a red whelp on my leg. We live in SW Virginia for reference.
I was bitten twice this morning by two differnt soldier beetles.
My son was bit by a bug that looked exactly like this beetle today also and he has a big welt where he was bit and he said it was very painful. I have been looking for a bug that matched this description since around noon. I swatted the bug after it bit my son so I saw it up close. Wish I had taken a picture! We live in MN.
I was bitten by the same bug. I picked it up thinking it was a firefly only to be bitten.
I too was bitten by a soldier beetle …. Previously I had thought them to be harmless . We have a large infestation of them in our lime tree near the chicken coop … They love the chicken water feeder.
One landed on my neck and swatted it with my hand and bit me on the hand. Yes they do bite.
These bugs very well do bite! I was sitting on my porch one morning, and one landed on my leg. Didn’t know it had, til it chomped down, then I flung it off me.
My wife was bitten by one of these soldier beetles this morning. She felt something biting her on her face and she swatted it down. She said it was very painful. I found it on the ground where she was when she swatted whatever was biting her. I live in Louisiana.