Cantharis is a large genus of soldier beetles in the family Cantharidae with narrow and soft elytra.

The poisonous Spanish fly is superficially similar and is associated with the scientific name Cantharis vesicatoria.

It was classified there erroneously until Johan Christian Fabricius corrected its name in his Systema entomologiae in 1775.

It belongs to the family Meloidae.

This soldier beetle article is a stub.