Categories
Blister BeetlesDesert Spider Beetle or Black Bladder-Bodied Meloid
June 20, 2010
I found some of these beetles in my garden and looked them up to see what they were. They are very pretty, however, I really need to know if they are going to do any damage to either my house our my plants. Thank you for your information.
Living in New Mexico
Central New Mexico
Desert Spider Beetle
Dear Denizen of New Mexico,
Your identification is correct. this is a Desert Spider Beetle or Black Bladder Bodied Meloid, Cysteodemus wislizeni, which is profiled on BugGuide. Adult Blister Beetles feed on plants, but we don’t know the preferred plant that this species prefers to feed upon. The Sam Wells Entomology page does not indicate the food preferences. We believe they probably feed on some desert annual species. They will not harm your home. Blister Beetles, of which the Desert Spider Beetle is one, are capable of causing a skin reaction if they are carelessly handled.
I like ThisRelated Posts
-
(04/10/2008)Desert Spider Beetle -
(09/19/2008)Desert Spider Beetle -
(04/12/2010)Desert Spider Beetle -
(04/05/2011)Desert Spider Beetle
Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.
Post a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.