Family Cantharidae Rank Species | Order Coleoptera | |
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Similar Cantharis, Cantharis nigricans, Cantharis pellucida, Cantharis fusca, Cantharis rustica | ||
Cantharis livida
Cantharis livida is a species of soldier beetle belonging to the genus Cantharis family Cantharidae.
Contents
Variabler weichk fer cantharis livida
Description
Cantharis livida reaches a length of 10–15 millimetres (0.39–0.59 in). 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 East Palearctic ecozone and North Africa.
Habitat
Cantharis livida lives in bushes, edges of forests and meadows.
Subspecies
