Goldenrod Soldier Beetle - Chauliognathus pensylvanicus

additional details, C. pennsylvanicus

I dug up some details for the guide on this species from Papp, Intro. to North American Beetles (#2741); and Dillon, Manual of Common Beetles of Eastern North America (#2732).

Other common names: Pennsylvania Leatherwing
Size: 9-12 mm (so it is bigger than marginatus--8-11 mm)
Food: adult--pollen and nectar of fall flowers, esp. goldenrod (Solidago). Papp states that they feed on "locust eggs, cucumber beetles, and other species of Diabrotica". (He does not say if this is the adult or the larva. He says adults of Cantharidae are predaceous, but I've sure never seen this in Chauliognathus.)

Cheers!

… Cotinis, 18 March, 2004 - 9:43pm

Done

I duplicated that info on the guide page and, since you dug it up, made you the page contributor. Feel free to touch it up.

… Troy Bartlett, 18 March, 2004 - 10:01pm

watch for similar C. marginatus

I've seen the very similar C. marginatus earlier in the year, say early to mid-summer. It has a broad dark stripe on the pronotum, but is very similar in habits--found on Queen Anne's Lace and other early summer flowers. See if you can verify that it flies earlier in the year, if you please?

--Patrick Coin

… Cotinis, 9 March, 2004 - 10:33am

Chauliognathus marginatus

According to How to Know the Beetles, page 209, C. marginatus appears earlier than C. chauliognathus (nothing more specific than that). I'll look for it this year and try to get a photo.

… Troy Bartlett, 14 March, 2004 - 5:33pm