A picky assistant to gardeners - beetle fireman

In the hot season, many insects appear in kitchen gardens and gardens, which disinterestedly "work" for the good of man. One of these "helpers" is the firefighter beetle. Biologists call it "Red-legged Puffy" for its cute burgundy-colored legs. Each of them has sharp claws. The upper part of the insect is black glossy wings. The underside is a red abdomen, consisting of seven rings.

The head is originally decorated with filamentous tendrils that are constantly in motion. And at the top, it is crowned with a dark spot, which is a characteristic feature of the beetle. An insect grows up to 1.5 cm in length. It has a flattened soft rectangular body with a head pulled inward. The provided photo of a fireman beetle shows all the advantages of a garden handsome.

Since such insects live very shortly, already a month after birth, they become the successors of the genus.

Amazing birth

Like any insect, the firefighter beetle is born from eggs, which the female hides inside rotten stumps or loose soil. Although after a while she dies, cute larvae emerge from the clutch. From the side, "babies" look like miniature black beads strung on a thin thread.

Being in such a shelter, the larvae are constantly moving, which has a beneficial effect on their development. Here they feed and live until they turn into a pupa. After 14 days, a magnificent creation crawls out of it - a firefighter beetle.

The original menu of the silent employee

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 for its formidable disposition. What does a firefighter beetle eat when traveling through the garden? The predator menu includes:

• small caterpillars;
• insect larvae;
• aphids;
• small May beetlesthat feed on leaves;
• sleepy flies.

The firefighter tracks his prey from the height of his flight, after which he lands directly on it or very close to the victim. Then he bites her, releasing a portion of the poison. 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 tough tissues, and the beetle simply sucks in the finished 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 in front of them he “takes off his hat” and leaves.

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

A pleasant fellowship in the fight against a common enemy

Everything that is created around us has a special place in the Creator's plan. Each insect and beetle plays an important role in the existence of wildlife. What is the use of a firefighter beetle and is there any harm of this insect to humans?

Based on what he eats, it becomes clear - without such a predator, the garden will disappear. Infestations of small caterpillars and aphids can quickly destroy hard-to-grow crops. But for an amazing creation in a red and black outfit, it's just delicious and nutritious food.Therefore, some gardeners attract beetles to their property. To do this, they try to adhere to these rules:

• do not dig up the soil on certain plots of land;
• do not burn fallen leaves;
• leave it under overwintering bushes and trees;
• do not use harmful chemicals.

Unfortunately, sometimes such a helpful fellowship is harmful. If entire colonies of insects appear in the garden, they add plant foods to their diet.

Insects can damage flowering garden plants and some fruit garden crops. In this case, you need to take action.

Humane methods of struggle

Of course, it is not very pleasant to destroy an insect that helps to get rid of the pests of your favorite garden. But sometimes you have to make sacrifices for your own good. How to deal with a firefighter beetle so that your heart does not hurt and your conscience does not torment? There are several humane ways:

1. Share insects with gardener friends who are "at war" with the invasion of aphids. The beetles are carefully collected in a small container and passed from hand to hand as a "precious trophy".
2. Using a special mixture of tobacco, ash, red pepper, and aromatic herbs. The powder is abundantly sprinkled on damaged crops to scare off annoying insects.
3. The use of chemicals. Some gardeners use chalk to control cockroaches. They grind it into powder, after which they sprinkle the damaged area.

Instead of tobacco, you can take the cheapest cigarettes, such as Prima, and prepare a deterrent.

Habits and habitat

A detailed description and photo of a firefighter beetle arouses genuine interest in this insect. It can be seen in the warm season on raspberry bushes and currants... He majestically "walks" among the petals of flowering plants. But as soon as a person approaches him, he spreads his wings and flies away.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Agile gardeners manage to catch a predatory beetle in their hands. To protect itself, it releases a fragrant red liquid, and when held for a long time, it bites. Feeling pain, a person opens his hand, and the insect instantly disappears.

Some are interested to know: why is the firefighter beetle so called? It is interesting that the insect has nothing to do with extinguishing the fire. Is that its appearance. The body and legs are colored red. And the surface of the wings is black. Truly a unique outfit for the defenders of garden plants of a country house.

To get rid of annoying cockroaches, it is enough to launch several firefighter beetles into the room and the Prussians will leave the residential abode forever.