Is this a Blister Beetle?
June 14, 2010
This is a photo i took this weekend of just a couple of the beetles in out lupine patch, I was informed that they might be Blister Beetles. There were hundreds of them all over the flowers.
A Page-N-Thyme Farm Anson, Maine
Central Maine
Blister Beetles
Dear Page-N-Thyme Farmers,
You are correct. These are Blister Beetles. Alas, we cannot confirm their identification on BugGuide because the page is currently unavailable, but we matched it to a photo we posted recently from New Hampshire. It appears it is Lytta sayi, a species with no common name.
¶ Posted 14 June 2010 § ‡ ° Large Black Articulated Bug
May 30, 2010
This was found digging in some sandy soil on the St. Mary’s River floodplain. There appeared to be another one in the hole beneath it. It was close to an inch long.
Ideaphore
Waternish, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia, Canada
OIl Beetle
Dear Ideaphore,
This large Blister Beetle in the genus Meloe is commonly called an Oil Beetle.
¶ Posted 31 May 2010 § ‡ ° Green wings with red legs.
May 30, 2010
Noted in Southeast NH on May 29th about 4PM. It was crawling on top of my pool filter. Haven’t seen this one before.
boxav8r
Lee, New Hampshire
Blister Beetle
Dear boxav8r,
The distinctive coloration identifies this beetle as Lytta sayi, one of the Blister Beetles without a common name, though some texts may refer to it as Say’s Blister Beetle. According to Bugguide, it is found in the Northeastern portions of North America.
Great answer! And fast! Thank you. Pete
¶ Posted 30 May 2010 § ‡ ° Unidentified bug (Beetle??) eating my maroon bluebonnets
May 17, 2010
I found several of this insects lunching on marroom bluebonnets on 5-15-10. They were not eating anything other than those blooms and they devoured them. I thought perhaps since maroon bluebonnets are not native to this area they can’t fight off the bugs????
Thanks for your help.
Jana Chancellor
Ennis, Texas North Central Texas
Yellow Crescent Blister Beetle
Hi Jana,
We are nearly certain that this is a Yellow Crescent Blister Beetle, Pyrota insulata, based on photos posted to BugGuide where it is stated: “Adults feed on nectar, mostly Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) though also observed on Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccafolium) and probably others.“
Thanks so much for the information. They were feeding on more than nectar…….
Jc
¶ Posted 18 May 2010 § ‡ ° Mystery Red Bug in Tucson, AZ
May 17, 2010
Hello Bugman,
I was working in my backyard garden this afternoon when I spotted something red and yellow moving about in a small flower bush. I was shocked by it because I could not quickly place it into any generic category. I could not call it an ant or beetle or bee and my husband and I have been baffled ever since. It peacefully ate flower buds while we photographed it. My husband commented that it had “personality” in the way it grasped at leaves and maneuvered through the bush to find and eat buds.
I have never seen anything like this and I hope somebody can identify it for us. I wonder too, should I expect to see any more of these in my back yard this summer?
Diana
South-East Tucson, Arizona
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
Hi Diana,
We have gotten more reports of Iron Cross Blister Beetles from Arizona this year than in any other year since we began this online column ten years ago. Expect to see them until through June.
¶ Posted 17 May 2010 § ‡ ° Beetle like bug with bright yellow on the top of the body, black underneath, and a small read head.
May 2, 2010
I saw this bug walking down my driveway and was really amazed by it! I have lived in Phoenix, Arizona for 57 years and have never seen anything like it! It was between 3/4″ and 1″ in length. It had bright yellow on the top, maybe wings, maybe not. There was a black line down the center and black lines slanting from about two thirds down the body outward and down like a peace sign on it’s back. These lines were noticeable but not thick. Mostly, all I could see was this bright yellow bug with a small red head. There wasn’t a segment between the main body and the head, just the body and the head. The head was squarish and really, really red! I have attached a rather crude drawing. I hope it rings a bell for someone.
KerryD
Sun City, Arizona
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
Hi Kerry,
There is little doubt in our mind that you saw an Iron Cross Blister Beetle, probably Tegrodera algoa which is featured on BugGuide. This is the fourth letter requesting an identification from Phoenix this week, so the beetles might be especially plentiful this year due to the rains. We are setting your letter to post on Mother’s Day as we are taking a holiday to visit Mom in Ohio and we do not want to deprive our loyal readership of a daily update on the insect world.
Danial:
I don’t think this is the same bug. There wasn’t a ridge down the center of the back, the black lines on the back were not as prominent and not like a cross but like a peace sign. There was no segment between the body and the head and the head was square. Like I said, I have never seen a bug like this. I sure wish I had been able to catch it and get a photo. Might it be a mutant cousin?
Kerry Dennis
We stand by our original identification. Since there is no photograph, we cannot confirm nor deny.
Ed. Note: Often identifications based on photographs are difficult, but identifications based on crude drawings are nearly impossible. Let us know if you think we made the right call.
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
¶ Posted 09 May 2010 § ‡ ° One inch long, red head, yellow wings, black body
May 6, 2010
My wife saw two lizards fighting over food and upon further inspection she discovered this tasty morsel (to lizards anyway). My 3-year-old daughter loves this bug and named it Basta.
Mr. Moffitt
Tucson, AZ
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
Dear Mr. Moffit,
This is an Iron Cross Blister Beetle.
¶ Posted 07 May 2010 § ‡ ° IDENTIFY THIS BUG PLEASE
May 3, 2010
Just showed up – May 2010 – desert garden – phoenix, AZ
Leisel
Phoenix, AZ USA
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
Hi Leisel,
This is an Iron Cross Blister Beetle, and your letter is the fourth confirmed identification we have posted in the last week, all from the Phoenix area. A fifth letter contained a very crude drawing that may have been done by a three year old, and when we identified it as an Iron Cross Blister Beetle, the Doubting Thomas that submitted the identification request rejected our identification.
Another Iron Cross Blister Beetle sighting, without a photo
Iron Cross Blister Beetle
May 4, 2010
I have tons of these things in my yard. I do not have a personal picture but copied one from another page and know what they are by the other posts I have seen on them. Just would like to know if they are a danger to mine or my dog’s health, and if there is a way to turn their direction away from my house.
D. Ellison
Tucson, AZ
Dear D.
We do not know how to keep the Iron Cross Blister Beetles away from your home. Do not try to handle them or you might have a skin reaction. We do not recommend allowing your dog to eat them. We have heard of incidents where horses eating Blister Beetles with hay have gotten ill.
¶ Posted 03 May 2010 § ‡ ° 
rss
I like This
