soldier beetle

soldier beetle

insect
      any member of the approximately 3,500 species of the widely distributed insect family Cantharidae (order Coleoptera). These slender, soft-bodied beetles are brown or black and trimmed like a soldier's uniform—with red, yellow, or orange. The adults range between 5 and 15 mm (0.2 and 0.6 inch) and are usually found on vegetation. Some soldier beetles have a pair of long fleshy filaments attached to the mouthparts; the filaments are used for feeding on pollen and nectar. Other species are carnivorous. Among the common soldier beetles in North America are Chauliognathus marginatus, which has an orange head and legs, and C. pennsylvanicus, which is yellow with black spots and is usually found on goldenrod. Common European genera are Cantharis and Rhagonycha.

      There has been some confusion concerning the family name. The beetles now placed in the blister beetle (q.v.) family Meloidae were for many years known as the family Cantharidae.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Soldier beetle — Soldier Sol dier, n. [OE. souldier, soudiour, souder, OF. soldier, soldoier, soldeier, sodoier, soudoier, soudier, fr. L. solidus a piece of money (hence applied to the pay of a soldier), fr. solidus solid. See {Solid}, and cf. {Sold}, n.] 1. One …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Soldier beetle — Soldier beetles Chauliognathus lugubris Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • soldier beetle — noun an elongated flying beetle with soft downy wing cases. [Family Cantharidae.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • soldier beetle — noun Any of several beetles, of the family Cantharidae, that are predators of aphids and other insects …   Wiktionary

  • soldier beetle — /ˈsoʊldʒə bitl/ (say sohljuh beetl) noun any of various elongated, soft bodied, brightly coloured beetles of the family Cantharidae, as Cantharis lugubris, whose larvae prey upon the larvae of codling moths …  

  • soldier beetle — noun : any of various usually brightly colored and soft bodied beetles of the family Cantharidae (as Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus) that frequent fruit and flowers and include several valuable predators on other insects …   Useful english dictionary

  • Common red soldier beetle — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia

  • Goldenrod soldier beetle — Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum …   Wikipedia

  • List of soldier beetle (Cantharidae) species recorded in Britain — The following is a list of soldier beetle (family Cantharidae) species recorded in Britain. For other beetles, see List of beetle species recorded in Britain.* Podabrus alpinus * Ancistronycha abdominalis * Cantharis cryptica * Cantharis… …   Wikipedia

  • Soldier — Sol dier, n. [OE. souldier, soudiour, souder, OF. soldier, soldoier, soldeier, sodoier, soudoier, soudier, fr. L. solidus a piece of money (hence applied to the pay of a soldier), fr. solidus solid. See {Solid}, and cf. {Sold}, n.] 1. One who is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”