Common Red Soldier Beetle

Common red soldier beetles. Adults feed on aphids, and also eat pollen and nectar. Larvae prey on ground-dwelling invertebrates, such as slugs and snails, and live at the base of long grasses. The adults, which are active between the months of June and August, spend much of their short lives mating (as is pretty evident in the photos!) and can often be seen in pairs and are also known in England as the hogweed bonking beetle.