Leatherwing

Leatherwing. That’s a cool name for an insect. Apparently, the folks who first name it felt that the texture of its wings looks like leather.

These are Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetles (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) that I observed here in the past few days.

“This beetle has a fantastic appetite for aphids which are small plant-sucking insects – the bane of every gardener. The presence of the Pennsylvania Leatherwing Beetle means free, organic pest control. As a bonus, the beetle spends so much time wandering around flowers looking for aphids, it becomes a terrific pollinator as well. They are fast and agile and usually travel in packs, amplifying the benefits they bring to a garden.”©InsectIdentification.org

I’m glad that a did a quick bit of research on this insect because, had I not, I would have assumed it was a nectar eater, not a predator.

According to the Wisconsin Horticulture Extension (https://hort.extension.wisc.edu), another common name for this bug is Goldenrod Soldier Beetle. That makes sense to me because the following photos show this beneficial beetle on Goldenrod that is in bloom around our farm at this time.

I find it curious that the scientific species designation seems to have misspelled Pennsylvania (it’s missing the second ‘n’.) I wonder if that was intentional.

There was a lot of sexy-time happening on the day I encountered these Leatherwing beetles. At least that’s what I assume when I see two animals coupled up. There were even threesomes forming, which I would speculate is a sign of reproductive competition.

Unlike beetles which I’ve seen with very tough, hard wing coverings, the Leatherwings seem to have more pliable coverings and bodies that are quite articulated.

There were dozens of Leatherwing beetles clinging tightly to the plants which, on the day I filmed, were swaying quite severely in a decent breeze.

Here’s a quick video I shot of these interesting insects.