Common red soldier beetle

Rhagonycha fulva

The common red soldier beetle, "Rhagonycha fulva", is a species of soldier beetle.
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Appearance

The common red soldier beetle will grow up to a centimetre. Nearly all their body is coloured red yellowish. Only the last bit of the elytra is black. The body is flat and elongated. The black thread-like antennae are also relatively long. The equally long legs have an orange colour, which become notably darker only at the end.
Common red soldier beetle - Rhagonycha fulva Animalia,Arthropoda,Cantharidae,Coleoptera,Common red soldier beetle,Elateroidea,Europe,Geotagged,Insecta,Poland,Rhagonycha fulva,Soldier beetle,Summer,Upper Silesia,Wildlife

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. One will find it very often in bushes or on grass and fields.
Common red soldier beetle - Rhagonycha fulva Another photo fo Rhagonycha fulva predating on a larva. Animal,Animalia,Arthropoda,Bulgaria,Cantharidae,Coleoptera,Common red soldier beetle,Elateroidea,Europe,Geotagged,Insect,Insecta,Rhagonycha fulva,Sofia,Soldier beetle,Summer,Wildlife

Habitat

These beetles are active during the daylight hours, when they will hunt mostly for small insects on top of flowers.

Fairly often one will find many of them on Apiaceae or Asteraceae like thistles.
orange flower longhorn beetle Common red soldier beetle,Geotagged,Rhagonycha fulva,Summer,United States

Reproduction

After copulation the females will lay her eggs. The larvae are soil-dwellers which hunt for snails and insects. After a year and several moults the larvae will pupate and then emerge as fully grown beetles.

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