Skip to content
CivicMapleEveryday answers, clearly mapped.
Nature

Blister Beetle

What is blister beetle?

· Emily Grant

Key facts

Family Meloidae[1]
Order Coleoptera[4]
Species count About 2,500[2]

A blister beetle is a memberH beetle from the family Meloidae that produces cantharidin, a defensive chemical capable of causing blisters on human skin and other tissues [1].

Context

Blister beetles are named for cantharidin, a chemical that causes blisters on skin [1]. Handling or crushing these insects releases this toxin ontoBC on bare skin . Ingesting contaminated feed can cause severe injuries in horses [6].

Documented claims

  • Adults feed on flowering plants, such as alfalfa [3].
  • Larvae can act as predators of grasshopper and bee egg masses [6].
  • The genus Meloe contains oil beetles, which excrete oil when distressed [5].

Questions and answers

Why is it called a blister beetle?

It is named for cantharidin, a defensive chemical that causes blisters on human skin [1].

Are blister beetles harmful?

Yes, they produce cantharidin which causes skin blisters and can severely injure horses if ingested via contaminated feed [6].

Sources

  1. Blister beetle | Identification, Control & Prevention | Britannica — britannica.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Blister Beetles (Meloids) | Missouri Department of Conservation — mdc.mo.gov (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. What's that bug? – Blister Beetle — uaex.uada.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Blister Beetles — extension.cropsciences.illinois.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  5. Blister Beetles — pubs.ext.vt.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  6. Blister Beetles | Department of Entomology — entomology.wsu.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature