Now I know where all the slugs went!!!!! In Summer 2009 we had "the invasion of the lightening bugs (fireflies)"!! Sure we had a few every year but in 2009 they came back by the thousands (really). This year (2010) they are also back by the thousands. I had slugs but not a huge slug problem 4-5 years ago. Now - only 1 or 2 slugs seen this year. We also do not spray anything on our 'lawn' to kill bugs and our neighbors have stopped Chem**Lawn service since the economy went downhill. Perhaps this is what keeps the population of lightening bugs in top form!! (BTW we do spray the veggies when needed but why spray grass??) REALLY happy to know lightening bugs are good guys!!! DL

yes Sonora desert and yep you are ight thank you so much for the clarification. :) Glad I didn't touch them lol not that I would have but they were colorful :)

It does look like a Soldier Beetle. I think it is the Goldenrod soldier beetle. Good job at the identification. I wouldn't have had a clue. It eats nectar, pollen, aphids and other small insects, so they are beneficial.

Beetle, but not the Soldier Beetle family. Rather, it is a blister beetle, family Meloidae. Note that the thorax and head anatomy are different than soldier beetles. There are many look-alike species, here is one example: https://bugguide.net/node/view/278856 Handle with care as their secretions can cause blisters, hence the name.