Soldier Beetles: Difference between revisions
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Soldier beetle eggs are laid from late August to early September. Though soldier beetle life history is not well known, larvae are assumed to predate on small [[invertebrates]] within the [[soil]]. Some soldier beetles are able to produce compounds that help stave off predators, like spiders <ref name= "colorado">Colorado State University. (2017). Soldier Beetle. Western Colorado Insects. https://wci.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/03/SoldierBeetles.pdf.</ref>. | Soldier beetle eggs are laid from late August to early September. Though soldier beetle life history is not well known, larvae are assumed to predate on small [[invertebrates]] within the [[soil]]. Some soldier beetles are able to produce compounds that help stave off predators, like spiders <ref name= "colorado">Colorado State University. (2017). Soldier Beetle. Western Colorado Insects. https://wci.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/03/SoldierBeetles.pdf.</ref>. | ||
== Common Soldier Beetles == | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
Revision as of 14:42, 14 April 2025
Description & Overview
Soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are the second largest group in the beetle (Coleoptera) superfamily Elateroidea, containing approximatley 5,500 species [1]. Soldier beetle larvae tend to be darkly colored and look almost reptilian. Adult soldier beetles grow to about half of an inch long and are yellow to tan in color. Some abdominal segments are exposed, as their wings do not entirely cover their body. These insects are beneficial, as they mainly feed on nectar and act as a pollinator species [2].
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Phylum | Subphylum | Class | Order | Suborder | Family |
| Animalia | Arthropoda | Hexapoda | Insecta | Coleoptera | Polyphaga | Cantharidae |
Ecology & Evolution
From midsummer to early fall, soldier beetles tend to pollinate yellow flowers of the family Asteraceae. Adults soldier beetles feed exclusively on pollen [5].
Soldier beetle eggs are laid from late August to early September. Though soldier beetle life history is not well known, larvae are assumed to predate on small invertebrates within the soil. Some soldier beetles are able to produce compounds that help stave off predators, like spiders [5].
Common Soldier Beetles
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Motyka, M., Kusy, D., Biffi, G., Geiser, M., Kazantsev, S.V., Bilkova, R., Jahodarova, E., Vogler, A.P., Bocak, L.. (2023). Untangling the evolution of soldier beetles (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) and the evaluation of the morphological phylogenetic signal in a soft-bodied elateroid lineage. Cladistics. 39: 548-570. https://doi.org/10.1111/cla.12555.
- ↑ Jump up to: 2.0 2.1 Hahn, Jeffrey. (2023). Soldier beetles. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/soldier-beetles#:~:text=Soldier%20beetles%20are%20beneficial%20insects&text=Because%20of%20their%20frequent%20contact,go%20away%20on%20their%20own.
- ↑ Jump up to: 3.0 3.1 BugGuide. (2025). Family Cantharidae - Soldier Beetles. BugGuide. https://bugguide.net/node/view/118/tree.
- ↑ Jump up to: 4.0 4.1 iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/.
- ↑ Jump up to: 5.0 5.1 5.2 Colorado State University. (2017). Soldier Beetle. Western Colorado Insects. https://wci.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/03/SoldierBeetles.pdf.