Soldier beetles (Cantharis sp.) feeding on wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) flowers. Soldier beetles, also known as leatherwings, get their name from t

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Soldier beetles (Cantharis sp.) feeding on wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) flowers. Soldier beetles, also known as leatherwings, get their name from the soft, cloth-like wing covers. When these are brightly coloured they are reminiscent of uniforms. Soldier beetles are predatory. They hang around flowers waiting for other insects coming to feed on nectar and pollen. Photographed in the UK, in July.

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Size: 5130px × 3407px
Photo credit: © DR. JOHN BRACKENBURY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, animals, beetle, beetles, biological, biology, britain, british, cantharis, coleoptera, coleopteran, coleopterans, eating, entomological, entomology, europe, european, fauna, feeding, flora, flower, flowers, insect, insects, invertebrate, invertebrates, july, kingdom, multiple, nature, parsnip, pastinaca, plant, predator, predators, predatory, red, sativa, soldier, sp., summer, uk, united, wild, wildlife, zoological, zoology