The adults have long cylindrical soft bodies with heads wider than the pronotum, with the later giving the appearance of a neck. The eggs, for instance, are found in areas where they will have protection, such as under stones or plant debris. Blister beetles are common in southern and eastern areas of the United States (Figure 1). 1) are the most common species. Of the species that occur in Oklahoma, the most common is the striped blister beetle (Epicauta occidentalis).This beetle has several black and orange stripes along the back (Figure 2). Blister Beetle’s Habitat. The blister beetle insects can usually be found in the Midwest & Southwest parts of United States. Epiculata, which is the largest genus include several species that horses find toxic, so much so, that if a horse consumes a few of these bugs, while feeding on alfalfa, it may be the end of them. In infested fields, it is advisable to harvest the hay with the conditioner open so the beetles can escape during harvest. The larvae are parasites to solitary bees like the Augochlora Sweat Bee. Adult blister beetles vary in size and color but are recognized by the elongated, narrow, cylindrical, and soft bodies. Blister beetles, from the family Meloidae, are sometimes referred to as oil beetles and found in all parts of the Unites States and Canada. Sometimes, blister beetles also occur in Canada and North Carolina, particularly in agricultural field. Blister beetles (Meloidae) are commonly confused with beetles in the family Oedemeridae (false blister beetles) (Arnett 2008) and the Tenebrionidae subfamily Lagriinae (long-jointed beetles). Host: Blister beetles have a wide host range including alfalfa, clover, soybean, potato, tomato, melon, cotton, and eggplant. Cantharidin: Cantharidin was first isolated in 1810. Blister Beetles There are about 2,500 species of blister beetle in the world, and about 410 of them are found in North America. After the Blister Beetle pupates, it makes its way out of the lair. Most are active, colorful beetles, of green, blue back, spotted, or grey. They feed on flowers, and sometimes leaves, of many plant species. Beetles of the Coleoptera Family Meloidae are Predators of bee and grasshopper egg masses as larvae. First instar larvae of the family Nemognathinae found in flowers or attached to the hairs of bees are sometimes mistaken for those of Ripiphoridae. The antennae and legs are generally moderately long in the adults. Larvae jump onto a passing bee, stowaway to the bee's lair, and then feed on bee eggs and bee larvae inside. In Nebraska, the three-striped, grey, and black blister beetles (Fig. Producers should avoid harvest-ing perimeter areas when scouting has found blister beetles. Currently, more than seventy-thousand five-hundred bugs species are found in America. These beetles harbor a very powerful toxin called cantharidin, but, unlike other types of insects, it does not spread this toxin through biting. The habitat of blister beetles will depend on its specific stage of development. Blister beetles are the largest beetle to be found in Alfalfa. Color and size of the Blister beetle adults found in Nebraska and Wyoming vary by species. Like many insects that have complete metamorphosis (egg to larva to pupa to adult), BBs occupy different habitats and enjoy different diets as … The Blister beetle adults range from 3/8 to 1 inch in length. Adult Blister Beetles can be found on apple trees and other similar plants. Blister beetles are a type of insect found primarily in the southwest and Midwest regions of the United States. Blister beetles have an oily substance, cantharidin, in their body fluid that causes large blisters to form when a beetle is crushed. 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