Family: Meloidae, Blister Beetles view all from this family

Description The Black Blister Beetle is a member of the family Meloidae. Blister beetles have soft, elongate bodies, 3/8-1 1/8" (9-28 mm) long. Their broad head is usually wider than the prothorax and connected by a narrow "neck." Plant eaters, adults are commonly found on flowers and leaves; some are important crop pests. The larvae undergo a complex development, hypermetamorphosis, and appear in several forms: they are first slender and long-legged, later grublike. Some parasitize grasshopper eggs, others ride bees from flowers to the nest, where they attack bee larvae.

Warning When disturbed these beetles secrete the chemical cantharidin, which causes blisters on human skin.