Cantharis livida, the pale soldier beetle, is a species of soldier beetle belonging to the genus Cantharis and the family Cantharidae.
Description Cantharis livida reaches a length of . 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 eastern Palearctic realm, and in North Africa. It has also been introduced to the eastern United States and Canada.
Habitat Cantharis livida lives in bushes, edges of forests and meadows.
Subspecies Cantharis livida var. adusta Reitter Cantharis livida var. inscapularis Pic, 1909 Cantharis livida var. luteiceps Schilsky Cantharis livida var. melaspis Chevrolat Cantharis livida var. menetriesi Faldermann, 1838 Cantharis livida var. nigripes Schilsky, 1889 Cantharis livida var. rufipes Herbst, 1784 Cantharis livida var. scapularis Redtenbacher 1858 Cantharis livida var. sicula Bourgeois, 1893 Cantharis livida var. varendorffi Reitter, 1904
References
Biolib Fauna europaea NCBI Nature Spot