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Blister beetles
	Lytta aenea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia;
Phylum:	Arthropoda;
Class:	Insecta;
Order:	Coleoptera;
Suborder:	Polyphaga;
Infraorder:	Cucujiformia;
Superfamily:	Tenebrionoidea;
Family:	Meloidae; Gyllenhal, 1810
Subfamilies
	Eleticinae; Meloinae; Nemognathinae; Tetraonycinae

Blister beetles are beetles (Coleoptera) of the family Meloidae, so called for their defensive secretion of a blistering agent, cantharidin. There are approximately 7,500 known species worldwide. Many are conspicuous and some aposematically colored, announcing their toxicity to would-be predators.

[edit] Description

Cantharidin is a poisonous chemical causing blistering of the skin. Cantharidin is used medically to remove warts^[2] 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 mobile triungulin. 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 are not obligatory parasitoids but rather food parasites that are facultatively parasitoid, or simply predatory. The adults sometimes feed on flowers and leaves of plants of such diverse families like Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Solanaceae.

[edit] Toxicity

The blister beetle genus Epicauta is highly toxic to horses. A few beetles consumed in a single feeding of alfalfa hay may be lethal^[3]. Poisonings have also been reported after use of "Spanish fly"-type folk medicines, and after handling blister beetle individuals. The toxic chemical is cantharidin.

[edit] Systematics

[edit] Subfamily Eleticinae

Tribe Derideini

Tribe Morphozonitini

Tribe Eleticini

Eletica

Tribe Spasticini

[edit] Subfamily Meloinae

Black Blister Beetle, Epicauta pennsylvanica (Meloinae: Epicautini)

Tribe Cerocomini

Tribe Epicautini

Tribe Eupomphini

Blister beetles like this Lytta vesicatoria (Meloinae: Lyttini) can be safely handled, provided the animal is not startled, and allowed to move around freely. Otherwise, painful poisonings may occur.

Meloe violaceus (Meloinae: Meloini). Note drop of dark orange defensive fluid on thorax.

Mylabris quadripunctata (Meloinae: Mylabrini)

Tribe Lyttini

Tribe Meloini

Tribe Mylabrini

Tribe Pyrotini

Genera incertae sedis

[edit] Subfamily Nemognathinae

Horia sp. from Bannerghatta (Bangalore, India)

Sitaris muralis (Nemognathinae: Sitarini)

Tribe Horiini

Tribe Nemognathini

Tribe Sitarini

Genera incertae sedis

[edit] Subfamily Tetraonycinae

Tribe Tetraonycini

[edit] See also

Blister beetle dermatitis

[edit] References

^ Cirrus Digital Blister Beetle Lytta aenea
^ Bhattacharjee, Pradip; Brodell, Robert T. (2003). "Cantharidin". in Robert T. Brodell and Sandra Marchese Johnson, eds. Warts: Diagnosis and Management—an Evidence-Based Approach. London: Martin Dunitz. pp. 151–160. ISBN 1-84184-240-0.
^ University of Arizona VDL Blister Beetle Poisoning in Horses

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Meloidae

Wikispecies has information related to: Meloidae

Blister Beetle Intoxication: Cantharidin Poisoning
meloidae.com
blister beetles UF / IFAS Featured Creatures
striped blister beetle, Epicauta vittata UF / IFAS Featured Creatures

[0] Cirrus Digital Blister Beetle Lytta aenea

[1] Bhattacharjee, Pradip; Brodell, Robert T. (2003). "Cantharidin". in Robert T. Brodell and Sandra Marchese Johnson, eds. Warts: Diagnosis and Management—an Evidence-Based Approach. London: Martin Dunitz. pp. 151–160. ISBN 1-84184-240-0.

[2] University of Arizona VDL Blister Beetle Poisoning in Horses

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