Species Rhagonycha fulva - Common Red Soldier Beetle

Hogweed Bonking Beetle in England.

Rhagonycha fulva (Scopoli 1763)

7-10 mm; female larger than male

Adult: elytra orange basally, shading to brown distally, and terminating in black tips; head and pronotum orangish-red, pronotum as wide as elytra posteriorly, narrower anteriorly; antennae long, black, except for basal segment; tip of abdomen extends slightly beyond elytra; underside orangish-red; femora orangish-red, tibiae slightly darker, tarsi blackish

well-established in British Columbia and Quebec [Pat Bouchard]; recently recorded in Ontario from BugGuide photos here and here

native to Eurasia; introduced to North America some time ago

fields, meadows, hedgerows; adults often found on flowerheads of herbaceous plants during the day

adults Jun-Aug (BG data)

adults feed on small insects that visit flowers; larvae feed on snails, slugs, and ground-dwelling insects

one generation per year; overwinters as a larva

very common and widespread in Europe

Wharf Borer (Nacerdes melanura) has dark femora, pale antennae, and a different-shaped pronotum:

Other congeners lack black-tipped elytra and/or other color and size characteristics described above.

images of adult, habitat, food items of adults and larvae (J.K. Lindsey)

narrated video of adults on flowers

common name reference [Hogweed Bonking Beetle]