SoldierBeetle

Soldier Beetle (Cantharidae)
(Photo Taken by Colin Peterson 9/26/08) The soldier beetle is a relatively soft-bodied, straight sided beetle, related to the Lampyridae or Firefly family. Unlike fireflys they are unable to produce light. Another common name is leatherwing, which they obtianed from the texture of the wing covers.(2) They are yellow in color and have black streaks on the sides of their wings. They also have a black underbelly. They are about about 1/2-inch long.(3) Soldier beetles are one of the more abundant insects in the American Midwest in late summer. They can be seen on just about any flowering plant.(3) We have proof of the soldier beetle living in the AHS prairie because we found one to take a picture of it. We also know from going into the prairie that they are very abundent because we could find a lot of them sitting on the plants. Soldier beetles are highly desired by gardeners as pest control. They consume grasshpooer eggs, aphids and caterpillers, yet if no insects are avalible they will also comsume pollen producing flowers.The larvae tend to be dark brown or gray, appearing slender and wormlike.(1) Soldier beetle populations can be increased by planting good nectar or pollen-producing plants. Adult females lay their eggs in clusters in the soil. The larvae are velvety, covered with dense bristles, and have antenna-like projections on their head. Most larvae are carnivorous, feeding on insects in the soil.(3) Although Soldier Beetles can be seen as a nuisance, they are not harmful to humans and they are very helpful in gardens ecosystems. So do not kill them when you see them.

1.Overview of Soldier Beetle http://www.cirrusimage.com/beetles_soldier.htm 2.Description of Soldier Beetle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier_beetle 3.Description of Soldier Beetle http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/soldier.html