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| Soldier Beetle on Strawflower Photo: Vicky Spelman |
Soldier beetles are most frequently seen on flowers, particularly yellow flowers of the family Asteraceae (daisy). The adults are pollen feeders and seen from midsummer through early fall, usually on yellow flowers.
They are predominantly yellow or yellow-orange with variable dark markings. Their wings are relatively soft compared to most beetles, leading to a common name for members of this family “leather-wings”.
From late August through September eggs are laid as masses on the soil and placed under leaves and other sheltering debris. The larvae are assumed to be predators that search for small invertebrate prey on the soil surface or in loose soil.