This Soldier Beetle is a Garden Ally!

I hope you enjoyed a lovely weekend in your garden. It rained quite a bit for me where I live, however I was still able to get outside to see this friend nosing around. 

I would like to introduce you to another garden ally. Please meet the Soldier Beetle! 

I love seeing soldier beetles in my garden! Have you seen any in your garden?

They are often mistaken as a pest. Sadly I have heard too many stories of them 'infesting' a plant or 'swarming' a tree, where they were then killed off with neem, or other pesticide. I always feel badly when I have to break the news that what they've just killed was actually eating the bugs that were the pest. We learn from our mistakes, right? 

This brightly colored beetle is named after the British Red Coat soldiers, and is also referred to as leatherwings. You may notice how they resemble Lightning bugs, a close relative.

Both the adult and larva are hunger hunters. The adults enjoy feeding on aphids and other soft bodied pests. They are found on and around flower heads, waiting for their next meal. However their diet is not limited to insects alone, they also enjoy the flower nectar and pollen, and are considered important pollinators. For about a year the larva live in the soil feeding on the eggs and larva of other pest insects, including slugs & snails!!!!  You know this makes me very happy : ) Eat more snails!!!

Would you like to attract more to your garden? Soldier beetles especially love brightly colored flowers, such as marigolds, poppies, zinnias, and I hear that their most favorite is goldenrod, though I've never planted it. They particularly love flowers that are daisy-like in appearance. I've been seeing these friends on my roses, agastache, and penstemon. 

Are you seeing any in your garden? I'd love to hear if you are!

In the meantime, enjoy your garden and have fun!
~Suzanne