Cantharis fusca by Enmos

Photography • Insects • posted on Mar 28, 2009

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Description

I thought I'd upload an insect today ;) It's a soldier beetle (Cantharis fusca). Info from Wikipedia: C. fusca can grow up to 1.5 cm long. Except for parts of the head and thorax, which are red or orange, this species is completely black. The body is flat and long, with a weak exoskeleton. These beetles have long feathery antennas, and comparatively long legs. This species is common in large parts of Europe, and lives in bushes, edges of forests, and meadows. They hunt for small insects. The larvae have black hairs, and also eat small insects. They are very cold-resistant, and can be seen crawling on the snow in winter. Apologies for my earlier ID, Cantharis pellucida, which was wrong. Thanks for viewing and have a great day ! :)