Common Red Soldier Beetle - Rhagonycha fulva

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Alternative names
Soldier Beetle
Description

It has a red-orange body with a black tip.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Often seen on umbelifer flowers, such as Hogweed and Cow Parsley.

When to see it

The adults are seen in July and August.

Life History

They are predatory on other insects visiting the flower they are resting on but also eat nectar and pollen.

UK Status

A very common beetle throughout most of Britain.

VC55 Status

Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. There were a total of 188 VC55 records for this species up to March 2015.

  • David Nicholls
    Cossington NR
    08 July 2010
  • Graham Calow
    M69 Island, Sapcote
    05 July 2007
  • HAPeacock
    Billa Barra
    21 July 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Fosse Meadows
    08 July 2011
    mating pair
  • David Gould
    The Spearwort Fields
    06 July 2014
  • Douglas Maas
    Ashby Canal, near Congerstone
    21 July 2012

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Common Red Soldier Beetle
Species group:
Beetles
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Coleoptera
Family:
Cantharidae
Records on NatureSpot:
430
First record:
01/07/2005 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
15/08/2023 (Willis, Jill)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • David Nicholls
    Lea Meadows
    07 July 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft NR
    12 July 2008
  • David Gould
    The Spearwort Fields
    06 July 2014
    mating pair
  • David Nicholls
    Watermead Country Park
    14 July 2007
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • John Cranfield
    Stanford Reservoir
    28 July 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    30 July 2011
  • HAPeacock
    River Soar - St Marys Mill
    12 July 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    08 July 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Nature Alive, Coalville
    12 July 2012
  • kthgodw
    Field Rear of St Mary's Church
    17 July 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Billa Barra
    21 July 2012
  • HAPeacock
    Billa Barra
    21 July 2012
  • Lorraine Ellison
    Wymeswold garden
    12 July 2007
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    11 July 2013
  • David Gould
    The Spearwort Fields
    10 August 2013
  • Alan Semper
    Stonesby Quarry
    24 July 2013