The powder was used to create a seemingly mystic concoction called Spanish fly. Blister beetles are attracted to bright light at night, such as patio lights. Herbal medicine is one of the forms of traditional medical practice. Medical treatment beyond first aid is usually not needed unless there is an major reaction to the bite. The blistering may be uncomfortable but does disappear over time. Dead and dried beetles were smashed and ground into a fine powder. An example of a blister beetle is the so-called Spanish fly. The irritation and blisters that form can be painful but usually are not life-threatening. The secretion contains a blistering agent known as cantharidin, a substance used to treat the lesions caused by pox virus.. Cantharidin is so effective at destroying tissue that it’s used in wart removal products. These beetles can grow up to a couple of inches long and be very colorful, a nice mix of deep black and bright red-orange. Blister beetle: A blister beetle is one of a number of beetles that have historically been used in dried or powdered form for medicinal purposes to raise blisters on the skin. More than 200 species of these beetles are found throughout the continental USA, but members of the genus Epicauta are most frequently associated with toxicosis in horses. Some of them are more colorful than others and all of them have a nasty chemical in their blood. Blister beetles are common in southern and eastern areas of the United States (Figure 1). Blister beetle, (family Meloidae), any of approximately 2,500 species of beetles (insect order Coleoptera) that secrete an irritating substance, cantharidin, which is collected mainly from Mylabris and the European species Lytta vesicatoria, commonly called Spanish fly.Cantharidin is used medically as a topical skin irritant to remove warts. Blister Beetle Love and Defense Like many animals, you are likely to see different shapes, sizes, and colors of blister beetles. 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. Historically, blister beetles have been used in medicine. In nature, cantharidin is found in beetles belonging to the Meloidae family. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and traditional Vietnamese medicine (TVM) are well-known for their long-standing tradition of herbal medicine. Blister beetle larvae only eat grasshopper eggs, but you can find adult blister beetles munching on flowers like amaranth, dandelions, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, alfalfa and acacia, in addition to their preferred source of grasshoppers. All blister beetles are soft-bodied beetles … They are also known to … Blister beetle Lytta stygica Blister beetle - Pyrota Variations of blister beetles: Blister Beetle Poisoning Blister Beetle Poisoning. The striped blister beetles (E occidentalis, E temexia, and E vittata) are particularly troublesome in the southwestern USA. When there is reported swarming of these beetles, it is advised to turn off the lights. Blister beetles are a common field and garden pest best known for the welt-raising secretion they release when injured or crushed. This species goes by the scientific name of Lytta magister but has also been called the “master blister beetle,” most likely in honor of its large size. Here are a few family pictures from the blister beetle family album. 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 beetles excrete a toxic blistering agent called cantharidin, which can cause irritation and blistering when it comes in contact with the eyes, skin, mouth, throat, or digestive tract. Secreted by many species of blister beetle, most notably by the 'Spanish fly' (Lytta vesicatoria), cantharidin inhibits protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1, PP2A). You have a chance around Phoenix, Arizona to see one of the biggest and fanciest blister beetles anywhere.