Photo of the Week: Leatherwing Beetles

National Pollinator Week has ended for this week, but before it did I photographed these beetles mating on Common Milkweed. These are Margined Leatherwing beetles, members of the family Cantharidae, the soldier beetles. Leatherwing beetles are relatively easy to find and recognize, especially compared to other members of their family. While bees are the most efficient pollinators, many beetles, such as the Margined Leatherwing, also pollinate as they feed on the nectar and pollen that flowers provide.