Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva)

OTHER NAMES: Bloodsucker Beetle

Latin Etymology: Rhagonycha (?) fulva ("tawny")

Adult Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) at Geddington, Northants - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: ?
Length: 10mm 
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated

One of the most common and visible beetles in the UK, the Common Red Soldier Beetle can be found on various flowers throughout the Summer, often in fairly high numbers - particularly thistles like the one in the photo.  As beetles go, they are fairly long and slender, and reach about one centimeter long.

Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Cantharidae
Genus: Rhagonycha
SUBSPECIES: None - monotypic

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident species which is seen in Summer

 - Seen in Geddington and various other sites

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto