In this article, we take a look at the dangerous-sounding “soldier beetles.”
Soldier beetles are known for their body colors, which look a little similar to that of a British soldier’s red uniform.
Unlike most other insects, their elytra (hind wings) are soft, and they feed on both nectar and pollen.
Apart from this, there are a lot of fascinating things about these beetles, including feeding habits, mating rights, activity, and more that will surely intrigue you.
Let us take a closer look at these tiny creatures in this article.
What Are Soldier Beetles?
Soldier beetles are common insects found in almost every corner of the world. They are placed under the species Cantharidae, which has about 3500 members.
Beetles of this genus have historically been placed within the superfamily “Cantharoidea.” This has now been absorbed under the Elateroidea superfamily.
These beetles have rectangular elongated bodies and can grow up to 1/2 inch.
The red soldier beetles got their name from the color combinations and markings of red and black on their bodies that look like the British red army’s uniform.
Their wing covers have a smooth velvety appearance.
When it comes to appearance, soldier beetles share many similarities with lightning bugs, but these beetles can’t produce light like the latter.
Adult soldier beetles feed on soft-bodied insects and aphids. Some of their species (such as the goldenrod soldier beetle) are often seen mating and feeding on flowers like goldenrods.
Soldier Beetle Types
There are many different species of soldier beetles found in various corners of the world. Let us take a look at a few of them here.
Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)
These beetles are known for their bright-red bodies. People also call them bloodsucker beetles due to their striking color.
Because of this unfortunate name, they are considered dangerous, but in reality, they are quite harmless.
These beetles have elongated bodies and can grow up to 1/2 inch in length. You can spot long antennae on the bodies and a black spot on the wing covers.
Like most soldier beetles, they like to be around flowers and are considered excellent pollinators.
The larvae are great at finding and consuming insect eggs. You can spot them near flowers like daisies and hogweed from June to August.
Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus)
Goldenrod soldier beetles get their name because they love to gather around the yellow goldenrod flowers.
There is a significant population of these beetles in the Midwestern region of North America.
Apart from goldenrod flowers, you can also see them flying and mating around milkweed, Queen Anne’s lace, and other summer-blooming plants.
These beetles have an orange body with two distinct black spots near the end of the wings.
Goldenrod soldier beetles are medium-sized insects and show an average growth of around 0.62 inches.
Plague soldier beetles (Chauliognathus lugubris)
These beetles get the name since they appear in huge masses during spring, summer, and autumn.
Plague soldier beetles are found in Australia, especially in southwestern and south-eastern Australia.
These insects are omnivorous, and they are good at hunting down aphids and other problem-causing pests.
But fascinatingly, people don’t want them around as they cause massive damage to blooming trees, vegetables, fruits, and other garden plants by infesting them.
They have black wing covers and a unique yellow spot in the middle.
Texas soldier beetle (Chauliognathus scutellaris)
Texas soldier beetles have yellowish-orange bodies with black spots on the midsection and the wing covers.
These species of soldier beetles are common in Central America and North America.
An average healthy Texas soldier beetle can grow up to 0.5 inches in length.
Similar to Goldenrod soldier beetles, you can find them around yellow flowers in particular.
Red and Black Soldier Beetle (Cantharis Pellucida)
These beetles are native to various European regions and are most common in Britain. They have a black-colored elytra and an orange-red pronotum.
If you look closely, you will notice thin bands on top of the hind femora.
These beetles can grow up to 0.5 inches and are mostly found in hedgerows and meadows.
They can be spotted around open flowers like umbellifers.
What Does A Soldier Beetle Eat?
Adult soldier beetles can be seen flying around flower beds and gardens. In this process, they also sip on nectar from the flowers.
Other than that, these adults hunt and consume garden pests like caterpillars, aphids, and other soft-bodied garden pests.
They patiently wait on flowers like goldenrod for the prey to appear. Once they show up, it is an easy kill for the beetles.
The soldier beetle larvae consume insect eggs and other ground-dwelling pests.
Where Do Soldier Beetles Live?
Soldier beetles like to be around open areas like gardens and meadows. They prefer to be around flowers to mate, hunt, and eat.
They are found in many parts of North America, including the midwestern regions of the United States, such as Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North & South Dakota, and more. They are also found in California and Florida.
Kansas and Florida are famous for being great spots to see the goldenrod soldier beetles.
Many soldier beetles are also found in Asia, Africa, Eurasia, Europe, South America, and more.
Life Cycle of A Soldier Beetle
Soldier beetles show complete metamorphosis; They have four life stages: eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults.
Adult beetles have a short lifespan and are mostly seen around flower beds and gardens. They prefer to mate around flowers, and as soon as they are done, they die.
After mating, the female soldier beetle search for a safe location to lay the eggs.
They choose the area carefully to keep them safe from lizards, birds, and other amphibians. It takes a week for the larvae to come out.
These larvae have a worm-like appearance with slender bodies.
Their entire body is covered in tiny bristle-like hair, which gives them a velvety and fuzzy appearance. They are mostly gray to dark brown in color.
The soldier beetle larvae are active hunters of caterpillars, grasshopper eggs, and other small aphids.
They spend around one to three years in the topsoil dwelling as larvae and attaining enough nutrients to transform into a pupa.
During the winters, these larvae overwinter to survive the cold. Once they are healthy to start pupating, they find a safe underground chamber.
They pupate in that chamber and emerge as adult soldier beetles in late summer.
After coming out, these adults fly to nearby flowers in search of mates and continue the cycle.
Mating Rituals of Soldier Beetles
Most animals and insects have their own mating rituals. Similarly, soldier beetles also have their unique set of mating rules.
In this section, we will discuss some of them in detail.
September to early October is the peak mating period for soldier beetles. During this window, these beetles mate only once a day.
The mating usually happens near flowers on sunny afternoons.
The mating process includes a lot of tussling and fighting between the males and females. In many cases, males fight amongst each other while finding a female mate.
When the male spots a female, it starts chasing to be able to capture her. They use the forelegs and antennae to be able to grab the female.
The females can evade smaller beetles easily, but it is quite challenging to escape from an enormous male beetle. These females wrestle the male as it tries to mount her.
How Long Do Soldier Beetles Live?
Soldier beetle adults don’t live for long. They spend most of their adult lives flying around flowers, drinking nectar, and mating.
The larvae can live from 1-3 years before transitioning into the pupal stage. As larvae, they hunt down and consume small aphids and insects eggs to fulfill their diets.
Do They Bite?
Soldier beetles are gentle and timid insects. They are rarely aggressive toward humans. When they encounter a human, they often lie still to play dead instead of biting or stinging.
They do not have stingers and mouthparts that are capable of penetrating the human skin.
Are They Poisonous/Venomous?
No, soldier beetles are not poisonous and are entirely harmless to humans and pets.
The only concern is the foul-smelling liquid that they emit when they sense danger. This liquid stinks, and getting it sprayed on you is a terrible idea.
Are They Harmful or Beneficial to Humans?
We already mentioned why you should not be scared of these beetles.
Adding to that, they cause no damage to human property like garden plants, furniture, wood, and more.
Soldier beetles are beneficial insects. These little ones are excellent pollinators and are a nightmare for garden pests like aphids.
Having them in your garden is a great way to deal with pests naturally.
What Are Soldier Beetles Attracted To?
Soldier beetles are attracted to flower beds and gardens. Yellow flowers like goldenrod are one of their favorites.
These flower beds are ideal to mate and to find food. If you want to attract these beetles, add a few bright yellow flowering plants to the yard.
How To Get Rid of Soldier Beetles?
Soldier beetles do not cause any damage to plants and household materials.
They are harmless to humans, and there is no need to take drastic measures to eliminate them. You can use a few natural ways to get rid of these beetles if they bother you too much.
During winter days, these beetles seek warm spots to survive the cold. This is why you must keep the cracks and other openings sealed to keep them away from your house.
Having predators like lizards and birds are super effective in eliminating the existing beetles. Sprinkling little birds feed on your garden regularly to attract predators.
A regular visit from visits from lizards and birds will also prevent the beetles from coming back.
Create a mixture of neem oil and water. Store this solution in a spraying bottle and sprinkle it on plants where these beetles are present. It will repel the soldier beetles.
Bug Control Recommendation Tool
Interesting Facts About Soldier Beetles
Apart from the information above, there are some other fascinating facts about these beetles that we will mention in the space below.
- Adult soldier beetles are predominately active from late July to September.
- These beetles might look like bees and wasps as they swiftly fly across flowers.
- The body color of various soldier beetles sends a signal to various predators that they are not good to taste. This keeps them safe from predatory threats.
- During spring, the adults are highly active in areas with loose soil, leaf litter, plant debris, and other spots with high humidity.
- At first glance, the soldier beetle larvae can look like mini alligators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are soldier beetles harmful?
No soldier beetles are not harmful. They are gentle creatures and not aggressive towards humans and pets.
The only concern is they emit a liquid that makes them appear unappealing to predators.
The fluid is foul-smelling, and you do not want to get it sprayed on you. Also, they do not bite or sting.
What is the most toxic beetle?
The blister beetle is one of the most toxic beetles on earth. Under no circumstance should one try to approach them and attack them.
These beetle releases a chemical fluid called cantharidin. This fluid can easily cause blisters on your body. If you want to touch them, you must wear safety gloves.
What attracts soldier beetles?
Soldier beetles are attracted to gardens and fully blooming flower beds. Yellow flowers like goldenrod are one of their favorites.
They land on these flower beds to find food and mate. They can easily eliminate the garden pests like aphids by hunting and consuming them.
Are soldier beetles toxic to cats?
Soldier beetles are not harmful to cats and other pets like dogs. They won’t bite or sting.
However, they release a foul-smelling fluid that might cause a problem if your cat swallows or chews a soldier beetle.
Therefore, it is better to keep cats away from soldier beetles. Other than that, there is no other problem that these beetles will cause.
Wrap Up
Soldier beetles are fascinating creatures and are a great tool for natural pest control in gardens.
They are harmless and do not cause any damage to human property plants.
Just remember, they might secrete a foul-smelling liquid when they feel threatened.
Try to stay away from the liquid, and you will be fine around them. Thank you for taking the time to read this article!
12 Comments. Leave new
Eric is right, it is an Oedemeridae. It the Spotted lax beetle, Parisopalpus nigronotatus, found in Australia and NZ.
Diane.
This copulating pair of soldier beetles is most likely C. pennsylvanicus and not C. basalis. The color and elytral markings are much more consistent with that of C. pennsylvanicus and do not resemble those of C. basalis. See the image from the Mating Pennsylvania Leatherwings post of Dec. 16, 2006 and you will see that these two images represent the same beetle species. I grew up collecting copulating C. pennsulvanicus from wild sunflowers in SD and have seen thousands of them.
Please disregard the previous post…I think they might be C. basalis.
These are very abundant in Wollongong at the moment, where they are locally known as banana bugs. (perhaps because they look like unripe bananas)
Thanks for the firsthand information and the interesting common name. We like Banana Bugs.
We are currently suffering a plague of these on our flowering gum trees in our yard in Katoomba at the moment. So much so that its unpleasant in the garden. How long will they be around?
WE suspect they will be around for four to six weeks at the most.
I have some images of the Colorado Plains Solider beetle, Chauliognathus basalis, most often referred to as ‘soldier beetle’, and sometimes as ‘leatherwings’. The Chauliognathus basalis – Colorado Plains Soldier Beetle (CPSB) – Cantharidae, are common in this area, (Cherry Creek State Park, Denver, Colorado, 80015, elev. = 5,500ft / 1,676M) from mid-July through mid-September and populate the rabbitbrush (Ericamesia) in large numbers. The CPSB seems to co-exist with butterflies and bees, who regularly uses the rabbitbrush as a feeding and breeding station. I cannot discern any damages to the rabbitbrush by CPSD.
This coming summer season of 2016 will allow me to capture more micro- images of this common insect of the western high-plains.
You may submit your images using the Ask What’s That Bug? link on our site.
I have some images of the Colorado Plains Solider beetle, Chauliognathus basalis, most often referred to as ‘soldier beetle’, and sometimes as ‘leatherwings’. The Chauliognathus basalis – Colorado Plains Soldier Beetle (CPSB) – Cantharidae, are common in this area, (Cherry Creek State Park, Denver, Colorado, 80015, elev. = 5,500ft / 1,676M) from mid-July through mid-September and populate the rabbitbrush (Ericamesia) in large numbers. The CPSB seems to co-exist with butterflies and bees, who regularly uses the rabbitbrush as a feeding and breeding station. I cannot discern any damages to the rabbitbrush by CPSD.
This coming summer season of 2016 will allow me to capture more micro- images of this common insect of the western high-plains.
What plants would attract the soldier beetle in Zambia?
We suspect plants that produce plenty of pollen.