Rhagonycha fulva

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cantharidae
Genus: Rhagonycha
Species: R. fulva
Common Name: Common Red Soldier Beetle

The common red soldier beetle is 7 - 10 mm long. Nearly all his body is coloured red yellowish with the tip of elytra being black. The black thread-like antennae are also relatively long. Only the last bit of the elytra is black. The tarsus is large and dark. The body is flat and elongated. The chitin armour is very soft. The equally long legs have an orange colour, which become notably darker only at the end.

This beetle is very common in Europe, and can be found in bushes, grass, or fields. They hunt mostly for small insects on top of flowers usually on Apiaceae or Asteraceae like thistles.