Cantharis livida


Cantharis livida, the pale soldier beetle, is a species of soldier beetle belonging to the genus Cantharis and the family Cantharidae.

Description

Cantharis livida reaches a length of. The body of this species is flat and long, with a weak exoskeleton. The colour is quite variable, depending on the subspecies. Elytra are usually yellow or reddish-brown, but in the subspecies rufipes they are black or dark brown. The head, the thorax, the abdomen are bright red or orange. The long antennae are reddish, with darker tips. The legs are reddish, with brownish tarsi.
These soldier beetles can be found on flowers, trees and shrubs from May to July, hunting for small insects. Also the larvae are predators, feeding on snails and earthworms.

Distribution

This species is present in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, and in North Africa. It has also been introduced to the eastern United States and Canada.

Habitat

Cantharis livida lives in bushes, edges of forests and meadows.

Subspecies

Cantharis livida var. adusta ReitterCantharis livida var. inscapularis Pic, 1909Cantharis livida var. luteiceps SchilskyCantharis livida var. melaspis ChevrolatCantharis livida var. menetriesi Faldermann, 1838Cantharis livida var. nigripes Schilsky, 1889Cantharis livida var. rufipes Herbst, 1784Cantharis livida var. scapularis Redtenbacher 1858Cantharis livida var. sicula Bourgeois, 1893Cantharis livida var. varendorffi Reitter, 1904