Posts Tagged: beneficial insects

Good Soldiers

They're good soldiers, those soldier beetles.

Members of the family Cantharidae, they are beneficial insects that eat other insects, especially aphids and caterpillars--but just about any soft-bodied insect will do. If no insects are available, you'll see them dining on nectar and pollen.

We saw these soldier beetles, with their long, narrow reddish-orange bodies and brownish-gray wing covers, on our rose bushes this morning.

As aphids scooted up and down the steps and leaves, so did the soldier beetles. Three formed a "troop" in a three-gun salute.

California is fortunate to have more than 100 species of these "soldiers of fortune." They're also called leather-winged beetles or leatherwings. Check out their long, threadlike antennae.

If you see soldier beetles in your garden, savor them. They're the good guys.

Please pass the aphids.

Three's Company

THREE'S COMPANY--Three soldier beetles search for aphids on a rose bush. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Eating an aphid

EATING AN APHID--A soldier beetle dines on an aphid on a rose leaf. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

AphId in Flight

APHID IN FLIGHT--An aphid flies toward a rose bush, unaware that two predators--soldier beetles--lie in wait. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Antennae

ANTENNAE of a soldier beetle. This is a beneficial insect that eats aphids, caterpillars and other soft-bodied insects.(Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Posted on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 4:14 PM

Comments: 0

Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey

Tags: aphids (20), beneficial insects (1), Cantharidae (3), rose bush (1), soldier beetles (5)