Members of the approximately 3,500 species of the widely distributed insect family Cantharidae are commonly known as soldier beetles or leatherwings. It is thought the brightly-colored elytra (hardened outer wings that cover the soft flying wings), often striped or outlined in black, resemble soldiers' uniforms; the leathery appearance accounts for the other less common moniker. These beetles are one of the the more abundant large insects in the American Midwest in late summer. They can be seen feeding on nectar and pollen on just about any flowering plant, but goldenrod (Solidago), Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), Water Hemlock, and Ox-eye daisies appear to be among the beetle's favorites. Most contemporary accounts list the adults of this insect as "important predators" of other insects, but I have never seen an adult soldier beetle eating anything other than plant material. I wonder if any of the educational institutions offering this "fact" has anything other than apochryphal evidence.

Soldier beetle larvae are said to feed on caterpillars and other small, soft-bodied insects. Adult beetles feed on nectar and pollen; they do no damage to the plants which harbor them and are not considered an agricultural pest.