Soldier Beetle vs Beaded Lacewing

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Soldier Beetle Beaded Lacewing
Scientific Name Cantharis livida Lomamyia latipennis
Order Coleoptera Neuroptera
Family Cantharidae Berothidae
Size 11-14 mm 10-15 mm
Habitat Hedgerows Woodlands
Diet Predators Predators
Regions Europe North America
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Soldier Beetle

A soft-bodied beetle with orange-yellow elytra and a dark head. Adults are commonly seen on flower heads hunting small insects.

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Did You Know?

They are sometimes called 'hogweed bonking beetles' due to mating pairs commonly seen on hogweed flowers.

Beaded Lacewing

A small lacewing whose larvae live inside termite nests and prey on the termite workers. Adults have distinctive beaded wing venation.

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Did You Know?

Beaded lacewing larvae immobilize termites by releasing a toxic gas from their abdomen before consuming them.