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Common Soldier Beetle Cantharis fusca

The most common of the black Soldier Beetles is this Common Soldier Beetle. To tell it apart from the other black Soldier Beetles look for the combination of the following characteristics. The shields are black. The legs are all black as well. When looking from the side, like in the pictures on this site, the legs may appear brownish. This is due to the fact the black legs are covered in brownish hairs, which are only clearly seen from this angle. From above and most other angels, the legs are very black indeed. The first two or three parts of the antennae are red, the others are black. The neck shield is black, except for strikingly red edges. The black part may be just a variable spot though. And finally the rear end of the body, usually visible sticking out from the shields is red. This species reaches a length of 10 to 16 mm.

Adult Common Soldier Beetles are seen mainly in May and June. They often sit on the top of flowers, like to take a sun bath and are seen almost everywhere: edges of forests, the side of country roads and meadows. The larvae appear from June onwards and are covered in black hairs. Both adults and larvae feed on small insects. This is a very common species all over Europe, including the UK and Ireland.