Plague Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus lugubris or Chauliognathus pulchellus

FAMILY CANTHARIDAE

This page contains information and pictures about Plague Soldier Beetles that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia. The beetles also known as Green Soldier Beetles.


Body length 15mm

The beetles are yellow in abdomen colour, covered with black wing-covers and large black head. They can be found feeding on flowers or aggregation on plants.



Sometimes we found the swarms of Plague Soldier Beetle. The aggregations are believed for the purpose of breeding. Most of them in the aggregation are mating.



Pictures were take near Bulimba Creek in Mt Gravatt May 2007.

Reference:
1. Beetles - family Cantharidae - lifeunseen.com, by Nick Monaghan, 2008.
2. Chauliognathus lugubris (Fabricius) - Australian Insect Common Names, AICN version 1.53, CSIRO 2005.
3. Chauliognathus lugubris - Morwell National Park Online, 2005.
4. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, Fig35.38B.
5. Chauliognathus lugubris (Fabricius, 1801) - Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
6. Chauliognathus lugubris - Botanic Gardens Trust, 2008.
7. Green soldier beetle Chauliognathus pulchellus - Cotton Catchment Communities CRC Company.