Every spring I marvel at the numbers of insects devoured by soldier beetles. They're real troopers in the war on damaging insects in my landscape.
Around the world there are about 3,500 different species of these members of the Cantharidae family. They are sometimes called firefly mimics because their color patterns resemble those of fireflies, but without the ability to give off light. The common name leather back comes from the fact that the colorful elytra, or outer wings, are soft with an almost leathery feel to them. The common name soldier beetle has two potential reasons attributed to it. You can decide for yourself which one is true. One is that one of the common British species has bright red coloration, which reminds people of the red of soldiers' coats. The other, more common explanation is that the elytra of most Cantharidae species is dark with colorful stripes or margins on their outer edges; A reminder of the uniforms of soldiers. Whatever the real origin is it is safe to say that these beetles are a real boon to gardeners. The bright colors of soldier beetles are thought, by entomologists, to be a warning to birds and other predators.
Light Oak Beds
Between the soldier beetles and the ladybugs I don't have much to worry about, when it comes to aphids. Soldier beetles, sometimes known as leather backs are voracious feeders. The larvae are quite efficient at dispatching aphids and other plant pests, including spider mites, grasshopper eggs, gypsy moth caterpillars, eastern tent caterpillars birch leaf miners, elm leaf beetles, oak webworms, lilac leaf miners, cucumber beetle larvae and many more garden pests. The adults devour large quantities of aphids, but also enjoy nectar and pollen, so it's a good idea to have lots of flowers around to attract them. They seem, for some reason, to be especially fond of Hydrangea Goldenrod, Queen Anne's Lace, Water Hemlock and Ox-eye Daisies seem to be favored. You also wish to purchase traps available on the market which use a pheromone to attract the adults into your yard. After they are there the flowers should induce them to stay put.
In Autumn the adults may move indoors, looking for a protected place to overwinter. These will tend to dehydrate and expire indoors so no control treatment is needed. Simply sweep or vacuum them up and dispose of them.