Podarus pruinosus, has a couple of other common names: Red-headed Soldier Beetle and the Downy Leatherwinged Beetle. It belongs to a family of beetles called Cantharidae and are called soldier beetles, because some have front wings which look like the early uniforms of British soldiers. They are also called leatherwings, because the front wings are soft. They are often found on flowers where they feed on nectar and pollen. |