Common Red Soldier Beetle

Grasslands, gardens, and meadows, often found on open-structured white flowers like Hogweed or Cow Parsnip during the summer months.

Adults feed on aphids, small insects, and also consume pollen and nectar. Larvae are predatory, living in the soil and leaf litter where they hunt snails, slugs, and worms.

They are highly active during the day, particularly in warm weather. They are famous for being seen in mating pairs on flowers, earning them the nickname 'hogweed bonking beetles.' Their life cycle involves larvae overwintering in the soil before pupating in spring.

Harmless to humans as they do not sting or bite. They are highly beneficial to ecosystems and gardeners as they act as natural pest control by eating aphids and contribute to pollination while feeding on nectar.