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This is a rather atypical blister beetle. In
this genus, the mouthparts are formed into a long "tongue" for
nectar feeding (that's why it looks as if there are three
antennae). This beetle is nectaring on black-eyed Susan.
Blister Beetle adults feed on leaves in the
tops of a plant but are especially attracted to flowers where
they feed on nectar and pollen. These beetles are mid to late
summer insects, active in mid-July and early August . The
beetles pictured here are part of a large conglomeration of
insects feeding on Goldenrod, Solidago spp. at the
Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve at Winfield, IL. USA.
Female blister beetles lay clusters of eggs in the soil in late
summer. The small, active larvae that hatch from these eggs
crawl over the soil surface entering cracks in search for
grasshopper egg pods. On finding a grasshopper eggmass, the
larvae become immobile and spend the rest of their larval time
as legless grubs. The next summer they pupate soon emerge as
adults. Blister beetle populations follow closely the abundance
of grasshoppers the year previous.
Blister Beetles produce Cantharidin, a poisonous
substance comparable to cyanide and strychnine in toxicity. The
substance is very stable and remains toxic in dead beetles.
Animals may be poisoned by ingesting beetles while grazing or
eating harvested silage. Cantharidin can also cause severe skin
inflammation and blisters. It is absorbed through the intestine
and can cause symptoms such as inflammation, colic, straining,
elevated temperature, depression, increased heart rate and
respiration, dehydration, sweating, and diarrhea. There is
frequent urination during the first 24 hours after ingestion,
accompanied by inflammation of the urinary tract. This
irritation may also result in secondary infection and bleeding.
The concentration of cantharidin in adult beetles depends
primarily on the sex; males produce the chemical and only pass
on small amounts to the females during mating. Cantharidin
amounts also depend on species; the striped blister beetle has
approximately five times more catharidin than the black variety.
I'm not sure at what level the poising is present in these
orange-colored beetles. |