Soldier Beetle

There are more than one species of Soldier Beetle. This one is Cantharis rustica, identifiable by their red thighs and a black spot on the neck. They are normally between 9 and 13mm long.

It's one of the predatory beetles that you really want to see in your garden. As you can see this one is munching away at the greenfly. They like area of long grass but normally hunt on flower heads, picking off insects as they land. They are striking and have really cute faces if you look closely.