#Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

[vandaliatraveler]

Some folks follow the backcountry trails to the mountain laurel when it blooms in the spring. But my heart will always follow a path straight to the common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), a fantastically beautiful native shrub in the Rose family that blooms in synch with mountain laurel in late May/early June. The plant produces masses of white flowers with orange centers and extravagantly-protruding stamens, reminiscent of those of our native Spiraeas, to which ninebark is closely related. This fast-growing shrub with spreading, arching branches gets its name from multiple layers of exfoliating bark, most apparent and striking when the plant sheds its beautiful, orange-yellow foliage in the fall. Finally, as you can see in the photos above, ninebark is a miraculous pollinator plant, drawing in hordes of bees, butterflies, and beetles, including the ever-gorgeous (and apparently horny) goldenrod soldier beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus).

Photos from the Deckers Creek Trail in Preston County.

[bytesizeambs]

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle | Ladybug | Tarnished Plant Bug #shorts #insects #bytesizeambs

Got 3 cute little bugs in a YouTube short today. A Goldenrod Soldier Beetle, a Ladybug and a Tarnished Plant Bug. There is also a Japanese Beetle but it is sort of hidden on the back of the Purple Passion Flower and doesn't move much.

[horsebeast]

goldenrod soldier beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus

[alcnfr]

Common Eastern Bumble Bee on the Nandia...

Soldier Beetle on Magnolia Tree Bloom...

[kcdrummergirl]

An interesting time had by all…

Goldenrod soldier beetles & Japanese beetles

[woozymitts]

European Paper Wasp (Polistes dominula) ♂ Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata) Great Golden Digger Wasp (Sphex ichneumoneus) Five-banded Thynnid Wasp (Myzinum quinquecinctum) Common Blue Mud-dauber Wasp (Chalybion californicum) Chrysidini sp. Four-banded Stink Bug Wasp (Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus) Megachile sp. Parallel-striped Sweat Bee (Halictus parallelus) Myzinum maculatum ♀ Archytas apicifer? Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) Archytas apicifer? Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) ♀ Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) ♂ Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) ♀ Lobed Mason Wasp (Ancistrocerus antilope) Narrow-headed Marsh Fly (Helophilus fasciatus) Hawthorn Mining Bee (Andrena crataegi)? Vespula Sp.

Foaming at the mouth at the absolute biodiversity in my yard this year! We have this bush in the yard that the wasps, bees and flies are obsessed with, which is where I took most of the pictures.

I also noticed these HUGE flies which I've never seen before. Usually if you even look in the general direction of a fly it immediately takes off but these ones could not care less, I could put my hand right up to them and they didn't move until I physically touched them.

Also once again completely baffled by the people who talk about how "aggressive" and "mean" wasps are and how they constantly get stung. What are you guys doing??? None of the above species gave a single shit about me shoving my macro lens in their faces, and if it was windy I would sometimes grab the branch they were on to hold it steady and none of them even reacted.

The queen bee (which has a stinger unlike the males) also made no effort to sting me, after picking her up for a photo she actually refused to get off of my hand because she wanted to sit on me and groom her face.

We've also had lots of yellowjackets (I'm so bad at IDing them so no idea on species) approaching us recently and checking us out, flying extremely close and looking at us and then flying away. Even if I put my hand up in front of them to see if they want to land they sort of just look at it and then fly away.

Last year there were paper wasps on nests in my yard and they would stare at me warily but never sting me when I photographed them.

Also feel free to ID things on my iNaturalist or correct me on any IDs here!

[identifyingbeetles]

Goldenrod Soldier Beetle

Chauliognatus Pensylvanicus

This species originates from North America and ranks among the most prevalent soldier beetle species found in the Midwest.

[these-godforsaken-halls]

passage from the neverland-inspired fairy au that i wrote for the au fest event. falsie with goldenrod soldier beetle wings, laying bricks and building bridges!

[knightobreath]

the favorite characters !! and a goldenrod soldier beetle. thats irrelevant

respectfully, please don't tag as ship!

[trickster-spirit]

i have been informed by @poppiesandpromises that these are more than likely goldenrod soldier beetles, a friendly pollen/nectar lover that also eats plant pests such as aphids, amongst others. quite lovely to see so many sharing this hill with me.

[lizardsaredinosaurs]

My golden locks are fit for a fairy tale... and my prince—the soldier beetle. 😍

Short's Goldenrod (Solidago shortii)

Endemic to two small areas of Indiana and Kentucky

Status: federally Endangered

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[littlecrazymostlybug]

A Goldenrod Soldier Beetle!

[welldigger62]

Goldenrod is starting to get a pretty color this time of year.

Here is another visitor that likes it too. This insect is called a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle. If he is looking for lunch, he’s got plenty to pick from out there. Chomp away 😃

[alcnfr]

Plants, flowers and even an insect on a rainy day...

[transmascicada]

What if we were two goldenrod soldier beetles on a patch of goldenrod

[horsebeast]

goldenrod soldier beetle, Chauliognathus pensylvanicus