Soldier Beetles

Description & Overview

Soldier Beetle Taxonomy

Soldier Beetle (Dysmorphocerus dilaticornis) on a Plant in Chile (Photographed by Claudio Maureira, 2019) .
Kingdom	Phylum	Subphylum	Class	Order	Suborder	Family
Animalia	Arthropoda	Hexapoda	Insecta	Coleoptera	Polyphaga	Cantharidae

Soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are the second largest group in the beetle (Coleoptera) superfamily Elateroidea, containing approximatley 5,500 species. These beetles are common throughout the temperate region of the northern hemisphere .

Soldier beetle larvae tend to be darkly colored and look almost reptilian. As adults, soldier beetles grow to about half of an inch long and are yellow, orange, brown, or black in color .

Though soldier beetles are sometimes considered pests, they are beneficial, as they are a pollinator species . Soldier beetles may be confused with certain species of blister beetles, fireflies, or glowworm beetles .

Ecology & Evolution

Soldier beetles have four life stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult. Eggs are laid from late August to early September. Larvae are assumed to predate on small invertebrates within the soil. After winter, larvae are found moving through leaf litter, plant debris, and other areas of high humidity. Pupae form in early summer, and adults emerge starting in late July . One notable adaption of soldier beetles is that select ones can produce compounds to help stave off predators, like spiders .

From midsummer to early fall, soldier beetles tend to pollinate yellow flowers of the family Asteraceae (such as dandelions and goldenrods). Some adult soldier beetles feed on nectar and pollen . Other adults may prey on aphids and soft-bodied insects .

Along with their important ecological role, soldier beetles have been significant in evolutionary studies. Currently, 25 species in 16 genera of soldier beetles have been discovered in fossiliferous amber resin. The oldest soldier beetle fossil discovered comes from Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber .

Based on molecular dating, the Cantharidae family is thought to have originated 156.3 million years ago .

Common Soldier Beetle Genera

Cantharis

Rustic Soldier Beetle (Cantharis rustica) On a Plant in France (Photographed by dromensis, 2025) .

Cantharis species are usually grayish-brown with a red or orange head and prothorax . Beetles in this genus are commonly found in grasslands and forb fields . Cantharis species are some of the largest soldier beetles, and adults can be between 9 to 13 millimeters long. These beetles have a red pronotum (back of head) with a black marking in the center. The top of these beetles' heads, as well as their wing covers, are black .

Chauliognathus

Plague Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus lugubris) On a Plant in Australia (Photographed by zichen1, 2025) .

Most Chauliognathus species are found in the western United States, Australia, and South America, excepting two species in the state of Virginia. Adults in this genus are also some of the largest soldier beetles at 8 to 15 millimeters long. They are yellow to orange, with black coloration on their forewings and prothorax . Like Cantharis, Chauliognathus species are also commonly found in grasslands and forb fields .

Podabrus

Wrinkled Soldier Beetle (Podabrus rugosulus) On a Plant in South Carolina, USA (Photographed by xx7trey, 2024) .

Species in the Podabrus genus tend to feed on aphids and soft-bodied insects . The larve of Podabrus genus are thought to reside in organic debris and the upper layers of soil . Podabrus adults typically range from 7 to 9 millimeters long. They tend to have leathery, flexible wing covers and are usually brownish-black with yellow to red sides and yellow faces .