''Cantharis fusca'', the dark soldier beetle, is a species of

soldier beetle The soldier beetles (Cantharidae) are relatively soft-bodied, straight-sided beetles. They are cosmopolitan in distribution. One of the first described species has a color pattern reminiscent of the red coats of early British soldiers, he ...

. ''Cantharis fusca'' reaches a length of . Except for parts of the head and thorax, which are red or orange, this species is completely black. The body is flat and long, with a weak

exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...

. These beetles have long feathery antennae, and comparatively long legs. This species is common in large parts of Europe, and lives in bushes, edges of forests, and meadows. They hunt for small insects. The larvae have black hairs, and also eat small insects. They are very cold-resistant, and can be seen crawling on the snow in winter. Soldier beetle (Cantharis fusca) mating P.jpg, Mating Cantharis fusca in copula.ogv, thumbtime=0:26, Mating

References

Cantharidae Beetles of Europe Beetles described in 1758 Articles containing video clips Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Cantharidae-stub