Soldier Beetles: Difference between revisions
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== Description & Overview == | == Description & Overview == | ||
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 <ref name= "motyka">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.</ref>. Soldier beetle larvae tend to be darkly colored and look almost reptilian. Adult soldier beetles grow to about half of an inch long and vary from yellow to black in color. Some abdominal segments are exposed, as their wings do not entirely cover their body. These [[insects]] are beneficial, as they act as a pollinator species <ref name= "hahn">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.</ref>. | 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 <ref name= "motyka">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.</ref>. Soldier beetle larvae tend to be darkly colored and look almost reptilian. Adult soldier beetles grow to about half of an inch long and vary from yellow, to orange, to brown, or to black in color. Some abdominal segments are exposed, as their wings do not entirely cover their body. These [[insects]] are beneficial, as they act as a pollinator species <ref name= "hahn">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.</ref>. | ||
Soldier beetles may be confused with certain species of blister beetles, fireflies, or glowworm beetles <ref name="ucipm">UCIPM. (2025). Soldier Beetles. UCIPM. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/soldier-beetles/#gsc.tab=0.</ref>. | |||
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== Ecology & Evolution == | == Ecology & Evolution == | ||
From midsummer to early fall, soldier beetles tend to pollinate yellow flowers of the family Asteraceae. | From midsummer to early fall, soldier beetles tend to pollinate yellow flowers of the family Asteraceae. Some adult soldier beetles feed on nectar, pollen, and small [[arthropods]] <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>. Other adults may prey on aphids and other soft-bodied insects <ref name="ucipm">UCIPM. (2025). Soldier Beetles. UCIPM. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/soldier-beetles/#gsc.tab=0.</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>. | 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>. | ||
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<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> | <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> | ||
<ref name= "bugguide">BugGuide. (2025). Family Cantharidae - Soldier Beetles. BugGuide. https://bugguide.net/node/view/118/tree.</ref> | <ref name= "bugguide">BugGuide. (2025). Family Cantharidae - Soldier Beetles. BugGuide. https://bugguide.net/node/view/118/tree.</ref> | ||
<ref name="ucipm">UCIPM. (2025). Soldier Beetles. UCIPM. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/soldier-beetles/#gsc.tab=0.</ref> | |||
<ref name= "pics">iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/.</ref> | <ref name= "pics">iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/.</ref> |
Revision as of 18:57, 14 April 2025
Description & Overview
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 [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 vary from yellow, to orange, to brown, or to black in color. Some abdominal segments are exposed, as their wings do not entirely cover their body. These insects are beneficial, as they act as a pollinator species [2].
Soldier beetles may be confused with certain species of blister beetles, fireflies, or glowworm beetles [3].
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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. Some adult soldier beetles feed on nectar, pollen, and small arthropods [6]. Other adults may prey on aphids and other soft-bodied insects [3].
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 [6].
Common Soldier Beetles
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 UCIPM. (2025). Soldier Beetles. UCIPM. https://ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/soldier-beetles/#gsc.tab=0.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 BugGuide. (2025). Family Cantharidae - Soldier Beetles. BugGuide. https://bugguide.net/node/view/118/tree.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 iNaturalist. https://www.inaturalist.org/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Colorado State University. (2017). Soldier Beetle. Western Colorado Insects. https://wci.extension.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2017/03/SoldierBeetles.pdf.