How dangerous is the soldier bug, how to get rid of them, what means to use?

Distinctive characteristics

The soldier bug is not the only name for this bug. Due to its unusual coloring (patterns, spots with black dots on a red background), it is also called a fireman. And the absence of hind wings explains the third name - wingless red bug.

The soldier bug looks like an ordinary ground bug with a characteristic pattern on its back.

Please note: the wings are yellow, but the pattern is always the same.

The size of the bug does not exceed 8-10 mm, and the body has a round, slightly flattened shape. Instead of a mouth, the soldier has a kind of proboscis.

However, only a description of the appearance cannot give a complete description of this bug. It’s not for nothing that they call it a harbinger of spring, because bedbugs with a red back and black stripes are among the first to emerge from their shelters after the winter cold.

Insects carry out their life activities in groups.

Small colonies of firebugs are found in various places:

• near fallen trees.
• Along the fences.
• In woodpiles with firewood.
• Etc.

Striped bugs always cluster on an open surface as close to sunlight as possible.

Bedbugs prepare thoroughly for hibernation, which lasts all winter, by selecting dry cracks in fences, old houses, and tree trunks in advance.

The soldier bug is visually very similar to the firefighter beetle.

Insects can be distinguished by the following characteristics:

• body shape (in a beetle it is more elongated).
• A specific aroma characteristic of bedbugs.
• The ability to fly, which the fire beetle boasts.

The latter protects the plantings from pests, which include the wingless red bug. This type of bed bug appears extremely rarely in an apartment.

Ground beetles

Ground beetles (Carabidae) are mostly voracious predators. Strong legs and powerful jaws allow them to hunt successfully, destroying caterpillars, slugs and beetles. They live everywhere. The fauna of Russia and neighboring countries includes approximately 3,000 species.

A significant portion of ground beetles are black, but there are also colorful, bright exceptions

What harm do bedbugs cause?

When they first meet a soldier, garden owners probably think about the benefits and harms of this insect. The negative impact of bedbugs has a serious impact on agricultural activities.

The damage that beetles cause with their proboscis is expressed in the following:

• spoil the fruits, which then become inedible.
• They destroy crops using the cell sap of shoots for food.

Vineyard owners suffer the most - the soldiers immediately attack the shoots of the crop and the fruits.

This insect is not dangerous for humans. Due to the structure of their proboscis, parasites are not able to pierce human skin.

If a pest crawls along your arm, the only noticeable discomfort will be due to the scratching of its paws on the skin. It is these sensations that people sometimes mistake for the bite of soldier bugs.

If the insect does end up in the room, it is enough to simply get rid of it without additional chemical treatments. As a preventative measure, you can wipe baseboards and wooden furniture with vinegar or kerosene.

Zlatki

Gold beetles (Buprestidae) are very beautiful. Golden, green, yellow, with multi-colored spots. All borers have a very durable shell. They feed on leaves or thin bark of plants, causing significant damage to plants. In sunny weather, beetles quickly run from one place to another along tree trunks heated by the sun; No wonder they are called “children of the sun.”

Chrysanthemum on a buttercup flower

Methods of fighting bedbugs with soldiers

Before processing, you should make sure that fire bugs are in charge of the area. This becomes clear from the obvious signs of the appearance of parasites.

Here they are:

• flowers and buds of plants fall off for no apparent reason.
• Cabbage leaves die or become covered with yellow spots.
• The beet tops are rolled into a tube.
• Umbrella plants dry out.

If the presence of soldiers is beyond doubt, you should immediately begin to destroy them. The ideal time for disinsection is early spring, since an unplanted area is most easily amenable to chemical treatment.

An excellent way to get rid of parasites is to regularly mow perennial weeds (for example, wormwood, quinoa). Firefighters often lay their larvae on the leaves of these plants, so such a radical technique will help prevent secondary infection.

The presence of legumes on the site is also undesirable, since red bugs can wait out the winter cold on them.

Chemicals

You need to get rid of soldier bugs without delay, as they reproduce very quickly and lay eggs. For thorough treatment, special insecticides are used.

Often, chemicals are sold in powder form that must be mixed with a small amount of water. The resulting mass is diluted in a bucket of water, then the areas affected by bedbugs are sprayed with this mixture.

When choosing a remedy against parasites, you should focus on its level of toxicity. The drug must be safe for both people and bees and animals. An important advantage is the absolute decomposition of the chemical without its accumulation in the soil.

Please note: pests quickly get used to any insecticides, which will subsequently affect the effectiveness of the treatment.

A completely environmentally friendly way is to collect firebugs by hand. This process is quite lengthy and is similar to collecting Colorado potato beetles. If parasites have infested a tree, you can purchase a special device at a hardware store - a hunting belt.

Folk remedies

Chemical insecticides can be replaced with folk remedies.

Here are some recipes that you can use at home:

• onion infusion. For cooking you will need 200 g. onion peels, which are filled with 10 liters of water. Infuse the mixture for 5 days, then strain. Spray the resulting mixture onto bedbug-affected trees and shrubs. The frequency of such processing is once every 5-6 days.
• Mustard solution. You need to add 100 grams of water. dry mustard powder. Bring the mixture to a porridge state, then dissolve in 10 liters of water. Use the resulting solution for spraying.
• Soap solution. To prepare it, you need to dissolve a certain amount of laundry soap (250-300 g) in 10 liters of water and spray the plants in the garden with this mixture.

The latter remedy is considered one of the most effective in the fight against soldier bugs. In addition, the soap solution repels many other pests.

If there is a grass lawn on the site, parasites can settle on it.

For such situations, the process of getting rid of bedbugs is as follows:

• tidy up the area and cut the grass.
• Sprinkle the grass with shavings of laundry soap.
• Water the lawn to help dissolve the soap.

Having treated the lawn in this way, it should be covered with a piece of flannel material. Firebugs will move from the grass to the fabric, where they can later be caught and destroyed.

Video

Soldiers attack cabbage

Animal behavior

Coleoptera have several behavioral features that are characteristic only of representatives of the species.

Acoustic abilities

Beetles chirp using their body.

About 20 families among all representatives communicate using sounds. There is a special stridulation apparatus for this. The sounds occur when the beetles move the mesothorax relative to the prothorax. Using sounds:

• representatives of different sexes meet;
• scare away predators;
• warn others about the threat.

Bioluminescent glow

Fireflies.

Fireflies and click beetles are distinguished by their ability to glow in the dark. This is possible thanks to special light organs on the abdomen. Some sternites contain substances that oxidize and appear bright.

This is also one of the ways of communication. This is how fireflies call females or males. Moreover, some do this as a signal for mating, and some predators lure males into a trap and eat them.

Distribution and habitat

Beetles are found everywhere without exaggeration. Insects do not live only in the glacial parts of the Arctic and Antarctic, but there are species that in the north have well adapted to the way of life, joining people. They live everywhere:

• in the upper layers of the soil;
• on the ground;
• on the grass;
• under the bark;

• in wood;
• on leaves;
• in flowers;
• in fruits;

• on the roots;
• in bodies of water;
• deserts and semi-deserts;
• anthills.

Protection Mechanisms

These insects have different types of mechanisms that are used for protection. Among them:

1. Immobility . Many species pretend to be dead and fall motionless.
2. Playfulness . This is running, jumping, swimming or flying. These species prefer to escape.
3. Threats . Some species adopt intimidating postures and raise their mandibles to frighten the enemy.
4. Noise . This method can serve as both protection from enemies and as a warning to others.
5. Shades. The color itself is often camouflage, making the animals inconspicuous.

Food and natural enemies

Depending on the species, dietary preferences also differ. Beetles eat almost any organic matter. There are lovers of plants, animal food, fungal spores, decomposed parts of wood and organic matter. But there are individuals that have a mixed type of nutrition.

Among the natural enemies of Coleoptera there are a lot of different species of animals - mammals, arthropods and parasitic ichneumon wasps. The most common beetles eaten are:

• spiders;
• scorpions;
• centipedes;
• mice;

• rats;
• crows;
• magpies;
• mammals.

Many beetles become victims of humans. But most often they eat larvae, sometimes pupae.

What do soldier bugs eat?

Soldier bugs feed on the same things as other insect pests. Their comfortable existence is ensured by the cellular sap of plants. The beetles obtain it by piercing the stems of shoots or leaves with their proboscis.

Fire bugs have other sources of food:

• vegetables.
• Berries.
• Fruits.

After exposure to soldiers, the fruits of bushes and trees become unsuitable for consumption.

If there are no plants nearby, the wingless red bug is able to feed on carrion, gathering in numerous groups.

Bronzovka

Another beautiful shiny bug. The bronze beetle also includes the well-known inhabitant of summer cottages - the cockchafer.

Some bronzes have the most common black color, without any hint of a beautiful metallic sheen. These beetles are much faster than their other flying counterparts. Shiny bronzes can be green, blue, copper and purple and gold.

Unfortunately, these beautiful beetles are pests - they eat young fruits of fruit crops, cabbage, carrots, and beet leaves, and also gnaw out the stamens and pistils of flowers, which makes their further pollination impossible.

Reproduction of soldier bugs

If a red bug is found on the site, it is better not to delay disinfestation, since the bugs multiply quite quickly.

For the fertilization process, the male and female soldier are connected to each other by the back of the body. Visually, they resemble a train moving in different directions.

At one time, the female lays up to 60 eggs, from which larvae appear after 7-10 days. Oviposition is usually found in the leaves and cuttings of plants that currently serve as food for insects.

The main difference between the soldier larva and the adult, besides its smaller size, is its absolutely red back.

After 17-20 days and 5 stages of development, the larvae become sexually mature insects.

Types of beetles

This order of insects is one of the most numerous.

Ground beetles

A large family of large beetles, most of which are predators. They most often do not fly and have an inconspicuous dark appearance.

Twirly

This is a genus of aquatic beetles. Familiar to most are the predatory swimming beetles that live in stagnant bodies of water. They have a shiny body and an excellent appetite.

ladybugs

The spotted insects, familiar from childhood, are actually predators with a significant appetite. They hunt aphids, but irritate people with their poisonous milk.

Colorado beetles

Pests of nightshade crops that cause enormous damage to the crop. They cause harm at all stages of their development. They have a voracious appetite.

Bronzovki

Bright beetles with a metallic tint on the belly and back, which often settle in colonies on the site. They are unpretentious in food, they eat flowers and fruits equally willingly.

Weevils

They're elephants. They may have a long or short proboscis. Depending on the species, they feed on flowers, greens, roots or buds. Often affects rotting wood.

Chafer

An active pest covered with dense hairs. It, and especially its larva, very quickly spoils a lot of plants. An adult caterpillar can eat the roots of a tree within a day.

Medvedki

An underground dweller with a terrifying appearance and vile character. She eats everything she finds underground, and spoils the inedible parts of plants by gnawing them on the way. Large animals fly and chirp loudly.

Narynniki

A large family with large members whose color is amazing. Adults feed on plant foods, while the larvae are almost always parasites.

Scarabs

One of the most mysterious representatives of the family, which are part of mythology. They lead a useful life and accelerate the process of decomposition of organic matter.

Barbels

According to the name, representatives of the genus are representative due to their mustache. Some specimens are rare and very expensive.

Soft boilers

They have black legs and orange markings on their bodies. Very active beetles are predators, but some feed on nectar or pollen.

Bombardier beetle

Water lover

Pea caryopsis

Zlatka

Marbled beetle

Kuzka

Structure

The structure of all representatives of Coleoptera is the same.

Sizes and shades

Stag beetle.

The sizes of the representatives differ, and radically. The largest specimens reach a height of 17.1 cm, and according to unconfirmed information, one species, the titanium woodcutter, has a length of 210 mm.

The smallest non-parasite is the feather beetle Scydosella musawasensis, which lives in South America. Its length is 0.352 mm. In Europe, the largest beetle is the stag beetle.

In terms of the number of shades and variety of patterns, beetles occupy one of the first places among insects. The coloring is amazing:

• all kinds of monophonic;
• metallic shine;
• drawings on individual parts;

• combinations of several shades;
• polished or rough surface;
• pigmentation.

Sexual dimorphism and polymorphism

A pair of May beetles.

Depending on the type of beetle, there are differences in the appearance of males and females. Moreover, there are differences both in terms of size and color. Some species have horns or tubercles that distinguish the male sex. The length of the mustache can also vary.

Polymorphism - several different forms of the same species appear in different families. It may depend on a sufficient amount of food supply during development or on the place of residence.

Development and life cycle

Representatives of Coleoptera are dioecious oviparous. They go through 4 stages of development; rare species differ from these stages. Sometimes there are individuals with viviparity.

Eggs

Typically oval or round in shape, light colored or translucent. They are laid out in protected places or specially prepared cavities. Depending on the species, they can be deposited in a group or singly.

Larvae

They have only a few common characteristics: a sclerotized head, a fleshy body and a gnawing mouthpart. There are individuals with short strong legs or a narrow body that are capable of stretching. Some can even be predators.

Doll

Whitish, free, appear in the soil or place of development. During the period of transformation, all organs appear.

Caring for offspring

It manifests itself in preparing a place for laying eggs and preparing food for future offspring. This is not typical for many people.

Where do little red bugs come from?

Since the wingless red bug is accustomed to a humid and fairly warm climate, its natural habitat can be designated as the tropics and subtropics.

North America, North Africa, temperate Eurasia - these are the areas where the small soldier feels quite comfortable.

It is difficult to say exactly where red bugs come from in our latitudes. However, due to the peculiarities of their structure, parasites are quite adaptive. Even once they get into a person’s home, they can easily find food for themselves in the form of indoor plants.

To prevent pest infestation of the garden, it is worth cleaning the area in a timely manner. Elimination of rotten stumps and old trees, as well as periodic disinsection, will help get rid of unpleasant parasites.

Lamellaridae

Lamellar beetles (Scarabaeidae), like many other beetles, are diversely represented in the tropics. 435 species of scarabaeids have been identified in the fauna of Russia. The largest tropical species is the African goliath, which was previously considered the largest among beetles. But later, a giant creaking creature larger than a goliath was discovered in the tropical forests of America.

Tropical bronze

Bark beetles

Previously, bark beetles were considered a separate subfamily, but now they are classified as weevils. Small beetles, pests of tree species. Adult beetles can make “ticking” sounds by tapping their heads against the walls of tunnels they have gnawed into wood - they can often be heard in old wooden houses at night. A number of species have a device for removing debris that interferes with movement along the passages - a depression in the elytra, which is called... a wheelbarrow! Yes, yes, friends, these are the only bugs with cars.

Great spruce beetle (lat. Dendroctonus micans)

Varieties

Among the many varieties of ladybugs, there are, as noted above, not only red beetles with black dots, but also black and red in color.

1. The four-spotted ladybug is a black beetle with 4 large red spots on the elytra and a body length of up to 6 mm. This is a ubiquitous common species. They destroy colonies of sedentary insects that suck juices from plants: scale insects, scale insects and hermes.
2. The two-spotted ladybird is a species that is variable in color. Usually these are beetles with a black pronotum and red elytra, each with a black spot. The body is up to 5 mm long. They destroy (both beetles and larvae) aphids.
3. The broad-fronted ladybug is a black beetle with 2 red spots on the elytra. The body is 3 mm long and covered with hairs. Both larvae and beetles feed on scale insects and aphids, and during its full development cycle, one beetle can destroy more than 600 pests.

Use of entomophages on the site (with video)

In order for entomophagous insects to settle on the site, it is necessary to constantly carry out activities that can be roughly divided into two groups.

The first group of measures is aimed at attracting these creatures to the garden, and the second is aimed at keeping them on the site.

In order to attract beneficial insects, you need to plant honey plants. Moreover, it is best to plant these crops in 2-3 terms - so that they bloom throughout the season. Insects that are beneficial to hell and the garden prefer crops with small, “nondescript” flowers. In many cases, wild plants or perennial ornamental plants are used for this.

You can build flower beds on the site or plant the necessary crops between the rows (for example, dill).

It is best if the area is surrounded by a hedge consisting of wild shrubs at the flowering stage. It is not recommended to mow the grass, since you need to create a kind of ring from the grass growing in the area.

Sometimes you need to organize an “oasis” of wildlife on your property, which is a piece of uncultivated land with two or three flowering shrubs and one tall old tree.

There should be a non-drying shallow body of water, next to which insects will definitely settle.

Another effective way to “settle” entomophagous insects in your garden is to make wintering houses for them that imitate natural shelters.

Dry grass or leaves, pieces of tree bark and twigs are usually placed inside them. Houses are usually located near plants affected by pests - both garden crops and fruit and berry crops. Such structures, if approached creatively, can become an excellent decoration for the site.

Watch the video on how you can attract beneficial insects to your site:

The importance and economic feasibility of work on the introduction of beneficial organisms for the purpose of using their entomophages against pests and weeds is indisputable. However, this area of ​​plant protection already requires new methods

It is necessary to purposefully unite research in the field of introduction under the leadership of a single scientific center equipped with modern equipment. This center, in addition to coordination, also performs control functions aimed at preventing the entry of new species of pests into a certain territory. At the same time, it is also necessary to organize expeditions to search for new useful species. In addition, it is important to expand the interstate exchange of beneficial organisms. All these actions will lead to a further increase in the share of the biological method in the system of measures that ensure plant protection.

The following describes in detail which beneficial entomophagous insects protect plants from pests and how to attract them to the garden.

Scented beetle / Calosoma sycophanta

The ground beetle family is represented by the beetle, which received its specific name due to its unusual color. Emits a sharp, unpleasant odor in moments of danger.

It has a characteristic greenish-blue color with a bright golden tint. They grow up to 35 mm in length. The beauty lives from 2 to 5 years. Leads a daily lifestyle. This is a dangerous predator that eats caterpillars and silkworms. Over the summer it can eat up to 300 caterpillars.

Settled throughout the south of Europe, Western Asia, and the countries of Southeast Asia. It is protected in many countries. The number directly depends on the number of caterpillars.

11

The silent employee's original menu

If you take a closer look at this cute creature, you will notice that it has strong jaws, which are given to it for special nutrition. And, of course, these are not flower petals. Biologists classify the insect as a predator due to its formidable disposition. What does the fireman beetle eat as it travels through the garden? The predator's menu includes:

• small caterpillars;
• insect larvae;
• aphids;
• small chafers that feed on leaves;
• sleepy flies.

The fireman tracks his prey from the height of his flight, after which he lands directly on it or very close to the victim. He then bites her, releasing a burst of venom. As a result, the insect dies.

Digestion of food occurs due to the injection of a special substance into the victim’s body. It softens hard tissues, and the beetle simply sucks up the prepared food.

It is worth noting that the beetle’s menu includes insects that are much smaller than this garden predator. They also often have a soft body surface.

He cannot bite through the hard cover of glossy wings, so he “takes off his hat” in front of them and moves away.

Fireman's beetle larvae feed on small worms and centipedes that live in rotten wood. Therefore, there is no need to rush to remove old trees and stumps from the garden.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OFCE64B2Yao

Distribution, features

Ladybugs are distributed throughout the world. They live on all continents of the world except Antarctica. Ladybugs inhabit open spaces with herbaceous vegetation - gardens, meadows, forest edges, steppes, and less often - forests. They form clusters only during wintering, but otherwise live alone. In search of food, they crawl along the leaves and stems of plants, and can also fly over long distances.

The peculiarity of these beetles is that when threatened, they secrete a rather sharp-smelling, poisonous yellowish liquid that scares away enemies. Only a few species of these beetles are harmful to crops. The rest (predatory species) destroy scale insects, aphids, psyllids and other pests of garden and garden crops.

The ladybug is not always a red beetle with black dots (the photo demonstrates this). Some of the varieties have a yellow outfit with black dots, others are black with red dots. There are even white ladybugs! All of these are young beetles that have recently emerged from the pupa. They acquire their normal adult colors several hours after birth.

ladybugs

We often encounter small predators - ladybugs (Coccinellidae). These are beneficial insects and are often used in biological control of plant pests.

Ladybugs eat aphids and scale insects

Seven-spotted ladybug

Bottom line

Here we have presented a photo with the names of representatives of the Coleoptera order. To summarize, let us turn to the etymology of the word “beetles”. It comes from two ancient Greek words “scabbard” and “wing”. But Slavic is logically derived from the verb “buzz.” The editors of most-beauty.ru ask you to write in the comments what other beautiful species of beetles, in your opinion, should be included in this list.

And below we decided to post a few more beautiful photographs with different types of beetles:

That's all for now! We look forward to your comments.

Narynniki

Blister beetles (Meloidae) have bright, often spotted warning colors. The blood of these beetles contains cantharidin, a substance that causes deep ulcers on the skin.

Epicauta hirticornis

T-shirt scarred

Nutcrackers

Click beetles have short legs, and if they fall on their backs, it is difficult for them to roll over. To regain support under their feet, they use an original device - something like a lever, protrusions on the chest (they can be seen in the photo below), with which they cling to the abdomen, and, straightening out, jump into the air with a click. The larvae are called wireworms, and many of them cause damage in vegetable gardens by gnawing tunnels in root crops such as potatoes. Some species, such as the blood-red click beetle (so named because of the color of the wing covers), develop in rotten wood and do no harm.

Ocellated click beetle (lat. Alaus oculatus)