Fun Soldier Beetle Facts For Kids

Soldier beetles, or leatherwings, are soft-bodied insects that belong to the family cantharidae in the order coleoptera. There are many different species of soldier beetles like common red soldier beetles, black soldier beetles, and goldenrod soldier beetles. Soldier beetles are attracted towards yellow or golden flowers and can be seen on their flowerheads sucking nectar. They are usually found in gardens and parks where there are abundant flowers. Soldier beetles have a short reproduction duration, and a female beetle is known to lay at least a dozen or hundreds of eggs.

Some of the most well-known soldier beetle lower classifications are the Australian soldier beetle, spined soldier beetle, margined soldier beetle, tricolored soldier beetle, goldenrod soldier beetle, black soldier beetle and several others. Here are some interesting goldenrod soldier beetle information and facts for you to explore. After reading these interesting soldier beetle facts, do check our other articles on bombardier beetle and Christmas beetle.  

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What type of animal is a soldier beetle?

The soldier beetle is a type of beetle which has a soft body. Their wings are soft but they are solid and tough. The soldier beetle has coat markings similar to those of the British soldiers and hence they are named soldier beetle. These leatherwings prefer to reside near their preferred food sources such as nearby to caterpillars and aphids. Though, their preferred food products are pollen and nectar.

What class of animal does a soldier beetle belong to?

The soldier beetle is a soft-bodied insect belonging to the order coleoptera. They are common outdoor insects found in your garden or park, most probably on yellow flowers to which they are attracted.

How many soldier beetles are there in the world?

Leatherwings are commonly found in the wild, but their exact number is unknown. The conservation status of soldier beetles is listed as not extinct, which suggests that their population is stable. They are widespread, and the population of these predators population is distributed in cosmopolitan areas.

Where does a soldier beetle live?

Soldier beetle (order coleoptera) can live in the woods where there are different colorful flowers. They mostly can be seen sucking nectar from flowers in gardens and parks. Goldenrod beetles are not at all dangerous and are great pollinators.

What is a soldier beetle's habitat?

A soldier beetle can live in a habitat where the vegetation is thick. Soldier beetles mostly mate during summer and lay eggs beneath the soil or leaf litters or compost piles. If you want to attract soldier beetles, plant marigolds or goldenrods in your garden.

Who do soldier beetles live with?

Soldier beetles (family cantharidae) live in colonies like bugs, termites, and bees. Goldenrod beetles are related to fireflies. The larvae of soldier beetles, if collected, must be preserved in alcohol. The soldier beetle larvae feed on eggs of grasshoppers and other larvae. They are farm-helpers and will protect your garden from various dangerous soft bodied insects by acting as their predators.

How long does a soldier beetle live?

The average lifespan of a soldier beetle is three months. Goldenrod beetles are short-lived insects and should not be killed with insecticides as they do not pose any serious threat to human beings or your crops on the farm. Goldenrod beetles will help you to take care of your garden or crops by acting as predators who will prey on the eggs of other insects like grasshoppers during the entire soldier beetle life cycle.

How do they reproduce?

Soldier beetles one mate once during the summer season. The female soldier beetle lays her eggs in the soil and they incubate in the soil throughout winter. When the soldier beetle eggs hatch, the soldier beetle larvae stay underneath the soil and are fed eggs of grasshoppers and other insects, along with larvae of other insect species.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of soldier beetles is listed as least concern. Goldenrod beetles are commonly found outdoors in parks, gardens, vegetation and in flower fields where they can suck nectar from the flowers.

What do soldier beetles look like?

Soldier beetles have soft bodies. Their wing covers are soft but are very strong and hence they are named as leather wings. Their color changes according to different species and can range from red-black to golden-yellow. They are straight-sided and belong to the order of beetles. The wing covers of these beetles do not cover the body completely, as a result the abdomen section of the body is exposed.

How cute are they?

Soldiers beetles are not at all cute as they are insects. They are related to lighting bugs or fireflies but lack light-producing organs. Goldenrod beetle are harmless and are kept by farmers who want to save their crops from pests. If insects are not around, they will feed on nectar and pollen.

How do they communicate?

Soldier beetles, like other species of beetles use body displays, sound, and vibration to communicate with other soldier beetles. Goldenrod beetles also use their scent to communicate. Sounds can be produced by rubbing their legs on their body or scratching the mouthparts.

How big is a soldier beetle?

The soldier beetle is only 0.2-0.6 in of size. It is only a few ounces in weight. Goldenrod beetles are used as allies by many farmers, gardeners and plantation owners who want to shoo away insects or other pests which might be dangerous to the plants. The soldier beetle feeds on the larvae or eggs of such pests and keeps them away from lurking around.

How fast can a soldier beetle run?

Soldiers beetles are very active insects and fly in a quick manner. Soldier beetles might be seen flying in between flowers and sucking on their nectar and pollen for food. The goldenrod beetle may also be found mating on a flowerhead which might typically be yellow in color.

How much does a soldier beetle weigh?

The weight of a soldier beetle is almost negligible as they weigh only a few grams. They also have soft bodies but their wings are strong.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There are no distinctive names for the male and female species of the goldenrod soldier beetle. Soldier beetles are differentiated on the basis of their sex and are called male soldier beetles and female soldier beetles.

What would you call a baby soldier beetle?

Soldier beetle larva are called grub, while the pupa is sometimes referred to as chrysalis. A baby soldier beetle larvae goes through the process of metamorphosis. The larva remain in the soil after they hatch from the eggs, where these larvae feed on the eggs and larvae of other pests and aphids.

What do they eat?

Soldier beetles are omnivores. These beetles feed on the pollen and nectar of goldenrods and marigolds but also can feed on the eggs and larvae of other insects, aphids and pests found commonly in the garden or parks.

Are they dangerous?

No, soldier beetles do not pose any danger to human beings. In fact, you can keep these beetles to guard your farm as these beetles feed on the larvae and eggs of grasshoppers, aphids, caterpillars, and other worms and insects. Moreover, the soldier beetle bite is also not a cause of concern for humans. Soldier beetles do not have a stinger or any other toxins which may cause pain to human beings. But if soldier beetle infestation is a cause of concern for you, then you can opt for professional pest control services to get rid of these creatures.

Would they make a good pet?

A soldier beetle is a short-lived insect and must be left outside in a garden where there are numerous flowers. Soldier beetles are used by many farmers to keep their crops safe and away from insects and dangerous pests, but they aren't their pets.

Did you know...

The common red soldier beetle is nicknamed bloodsucker because of its bright red body. This beetle does not cause any harm to human beings. Their bodies are flat and elongated.

How did soldier beetles get their name?

Soldier beetles are named so because of their black and red markings on their leather-like shell, which is reminiscent of a British soldier’s uniform.

How many species of soldier beetle are there?

There are more than 35oo species of soldier beetles living in the wild. The color of every soldier beetle is different according to its species. More than 40 species of soldier beetles can be found in the United Kingdom alone.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including darkling beetle, or atlas beetle.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our beetle coloring pages.

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