Large Bloody-nosed Beetle vs Rustic Soldier Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Large Bloody-nosed Beetle Rustic Soldier Beetle
Scientific Name Timarcha goettingensis Cantharis rustica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Chrysomelidae Cantharidae
Size 8-13 mm 11-15 mm
Habitat Meadows Underground
Diet Herbivores Predators
Regions Central and Western Europe Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Large Bloody-nosed Beetle

A somewhat smaller relative of Timarcha tenebricosa, with a similarly rounded, convex, black body and fused wing cases. It shares the characteristic reflex bleeding behavior of its genus.

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Did You Know?

Adults are entirely flightless because their hind wings have been completely reduced and their elytra are fused together.

Rustic Soldier Beetle

A common European soldier beetle with dark elytra and an orange-red pronotum marked with a black spot. It is an active predator on flower heads.

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Did You Know?

The dark heart-shaped mark on its pronotum is a reliable identification feature across its range.