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Blister beetle

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iBlister beetle
Image:Black blister beetle.jpg
Black blister beetle, Epicauta pennsylvanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Superfamily: Tenebrionoidea
Family: Meloidae
Gyllenhal, 1810
Genera

See text.

Beetles in the Coleoptera family Meloidae are commonly known as blister beetles. There are approximately 2,500 known species worldwide.

Image:Meloid talakaveri.jpg

They are known as "blister beetles" because they secrete cantharidin, a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin and painful swelling if consumed. Cantharidin is used medically to remove warts, and is collected for this purpose from species of the genera Mylabris and Lytta, especially Lytta vesicatoria, better known as Spanish fly.

Blister beetles are hypermetamorphic, going through several larval stages, the first of which is typically a planidium. The larvae are insectivorous, mainly attacking bees, though a few feed on grasshopper eggs; while sometimes considered parasitoids, it appears that in general, the meloid larva consumes the immature host along with its provisions, and can often survive on the provisions alone, thus they do not truly qualify (see Parasitoid for definition). The adults feed on flowers and leaves of plants in the families Amaranthaceae, Compositae, Leguminosae, and Solanaceae.

[edit] Classification

[edit] External links

fr:Meloidae lt:Skaudvabaliai nl:Oliekevers ja:ツチハンミョウ pl:Oleicowate

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