Common Red Soldier Beetle
species of family “Soldier Beetles“
1 species
The common red soldier beetle, scientifically known as Rhagonycha fulva, is a species of beetle that measures 8-10 millimeters in length. It is characterized by its orange head and pronotum, black antennae, and dark shiny red elytra. This beetle is commonly found in Europe and Anatolia, but has also been introduced to North America, specifically British Columbia and Quebec. Adults feed on aphids, pollen, and nectar, while the larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates. They are active between June and August and are often found mating on open-structured flowers such as Cow Parsley and Hogweed. R. fulva is also an important pollinator for species of Hogweed.
Taxonomy#
Rhagonycha fulva was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1763 in Entomologia Carniolica as Cantharis fulva.
Description#
Rhagonycha fulva measures 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in) in length. Its antennae are black, occasionally the first segment is orange. The head and pronotum are orange and shiny, with fine pubescence visible on the head. The shape of the pronotum is variable, but it narrows towards the head. The elytra cover the wings and most of the abdomen and are a dark shiny red in colour, and terminate in a clearly visible black patch on the apical end – this is one of their key identifying features. Its femora and tibiae are orange, but the tarsi are black; the third segment of the tarsi is simple rather than bilobed.All soldier beetles are soft-bodied, resulting in the German name of this species as Roter Weichkäfer (meaning “red soft beetle”).
Distribution#
This beetle is very common in Europe and Anatolia. Introduced to North America, it is well established in British Columbia and Quebec and recently recorded in Ontario.
Life cycle#
Adults feed on aphids, and also eat pollen and nectar. Larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates, such as slugs and snails, and live at the base of long grasses. The adults, which are active between the months of June and August, spend much of their short lives mating and can often be seen in pairs.
Behaviour#
Rhagonycha fulva is commonly found on open-structured flowers and can be spotted in grassland, woodland, along hedgerows and in parks and gardens, often on flower species such as Anthriscus sylvestris (Cow Parsley) and others of the genus Heracleum (Hogweed) and the family Asteraceae during the summer. R. fulva is a significant pollinator of two species of Hogweed, Heracleum sphondylium, and H. mantegazzianum.
External links#
Common red soldier beetle at English Nature Common red soldier beetle at UKNature Narrated Video about the common red soldier beetle
The common red soldier beetle, scientifically known as Rhagonycha fulva, is a species of beetle that measures 8-10 millimeters in length. It is characterized by its orange head and pronotum, black antennae, and dark shiny red elytra. This beetle is commonly found in Europe and Anatolia, but has also been introduced to North America, specifically British Columbia and Quebec. Adults feed on aphids, pollen, and nectar, while the larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates. They are active between June and August and are often found mating on open-structured flowers such as Cow Parsley and Hogweed. R. fulva is also an important pollinator for species of Hogweed.
Ancestry Graph
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