Pest profile

Soldier Beetles

Cantharidae (shown: Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) · Coleoptera: Cantharidae[4]

Soldier beetles, also called leatherwings, are common flower visitors that resemble lightning bugs. They're beneficial: adults eat aphids and other soft insects, and larvae hunt in the soil.[2][3][1]

Goldenrod soldier beetle with soft yellow-orange wing covers each bearing a large black spot, on a yellow flower
Goldenrod soldier beetle with soft yellow-orange wing covers each bearing a large black spot, on a yellow flower. Photo: Anne P, public domain (CC0), via iNaturalist

How to identify it

  • Adults are elongate, soft-bodied and about 1/2 inch long, with soft, flexible wing covers that give them the name leatherwings.[2][1]
  • Colors run from yellow to red with brown or black; the goldenrod soldier beetle is yellow-orange with an oval black spot on each wing cover.[2][3]
  • They're related to fireflies but have no light-producing organs.[3][2]
  • Larvae are dark, velvety and bristly, look like small alligators, and grow up to 3/4 inch long.[2][3]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Blister beetlesBlister beetles have a square head and a visible neck, because the thorax is narrower than the head and abdomen.[2]
FirefliesFireflies have light-producing organs; soldier beetles don't.[3][2]

Where it lives

Common in gardens in states such as Kentucky and Minnesota; goldenrod soldier beetle adults are active from late July into September, especially on yellow flowers.[2][3]

US map: public records from 45 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Females lay eggs in clusters in soil or organic litter, and the eggs hatch in about a week.[2][1]

Most of the life cycle is spent as ground-dwelling larvae, which overwinter in soil and debris.[1][3]

The goldenrod soldier beetle has one generation a year.[3]

Adults secrete defensive chemicals, and their yellowish color is thought to warn predators that they taste bad.[3]

Damage and signs

  • They don't damage foliage. Adults eat caterpillars, insect eggs, aphids and other soft insects or feed on pollen and nectar; occasional feeding on raspberries and cherries is uncommon.[2]

Health risk

Soldier beetles don't damage plants and are harmless to people.[3]

Control

Prevention

No control is needed. Ignore them and they'll leave on their own.[3]

Keep them out

If larvae wander indoors in fall looking for winter shelter, weather-stripping and caulking will keep them out.[2]

Traps and physical control

A vacuum cleaner safely removes any that get inside.[2]

Common questions

Are these lightning bugs?
No. Soldier beetles are related to fireflies and look similar, but they have no light-producing organs.[3][2]
Why are there so many on my goldenrod?
Adults are drawn to yellow flowers to feed on pollen and nectar, and they're often seen mating there.[3][2]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Soldier Beetles (Natural Enemies Gallery).” ipm.ucanr.edu/natural-enemies/soldier-beetles/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. University of Kentucky Entomology Extension, “Soldier Beetles, ENTFACT-707.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef707 (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of Minnesota Extension, “Soldier beetles.” extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/soldier-beetles (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. iNaturalist, “Chauliognathus pensylvanicus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/216649 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-13. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.