Where Do Blister Beetles Live? Can I Find Them Near My Home Too?

Touching blister beetles can give you a nasty blister, so it’s important to stay away from them. But where do blister beetles live? Let’s find out in the article below.

Blister beetles are toxic field and garden pests that harm humans and animals.

They secrete a toxin called cantharidin which can cause skin irritation and blistering in humans and gastrointestinal issues, poisoning, and even death in animals.

They’re found all over the world, including in many places in the US.

In the following article, I will try to give you a comprehensive list of where these notorious pests are found.

Where Do Blister Beetles Live?

The eastern and southern states in the United States see higher numbers of blister beetles. States like Oklahoma, Florida, California, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are home to many species of blister beetles.

The striped blister beetle and the black blister beetle are quite common here.

Apart from the United States, other countries such as the West Indies and South and Central America also have large populations of blister beetles.

What Is Their Habitat?

The most common place to find blister beetles is in alfalfa hay. This is because adult blister beetles often feed on the alfalfa blossoms.

Secondly, grasshoppers are the main source of food for blister beetles. Hence they will be found where grasshoppers are.

Blister beetle larvae, on the other hand, feed on nesting bee larvae and eggs of grasshoppers.

Hence, they are often found on the ground in habitats where their food sources are in abundance.

You can also find adult beetles on garden vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, and lima beans. You can also spot them on sunflowers, dandelions, and black-eyed Susan.

What Is a Blister Beetle’s Life Cycle?

Blister beetles usually have one generation per year. They are said to be the most active between June to September.

However, this may vary from species to species.

You may first spot blister beetles after the first alfalfa harvest, which is done somewhere around the latter half of April or during early May.

After mating, female beetles lay eggs directly in the soil during summer.

The eggs hatch during fall, and the instar blister beetle larvae emerge from the soil. They then look for clusters of grasshopper eggs and bee eggs to feed upon.

Grasshoppers lay their eggs around the same time the blister beetle larvae emerge from the soil, making them a convenient food source.

Blister beetle larvae can feed through several clusters of grasshopper eggs at a time.

Post-feeding, the larvae then transition into pseudopupae and overwinter before emerging as mature adults during late spring or early summer.

Adult blister beetles are mostly attracted to the flower clusters of alfalfa but can also feed on their leaves in the absence of flowers.

Apart from this, they also feed on peanuts, pigweeds, and soybean plants, among others.

While adult blister beetles are often not considered as plant pests that are serious enough for intervention, species like the striped blister beetle tend to gather in large swarms in alfalfa hay.

This can be concerning because a large swarm means a higher concentration of cantharidin. This could lead to blister beetle poisoning to the harvest as well as to the livestock, especially horses.

For this reason, horse owners should check the hay properly before giving it to their animals.

Cantharidin poisoning can be fatal to horses. It causes inflammation and poisoning of the gastrointestinal tract and can lead to death if ingested in large amounts.

Thankfully, it normally does not require medical attention in humans – the results are painful but temporary.

For blister beetle control, you can use either organic or chemical treatments. Organic works better in protecting the soil and other important insects like bees in your garden.

How Long Do Blister Beetles Last?

Blister beetles (also called oil beetles) have one generation each year, and adult beetles survive for over three months. They tend to thrive in warm climates where their population can expand quickly.

If you find a blister beetle infestation in your garden or field, it’s best to immediately use either a chemical or organic treatment to rid the infestation.

Blister beetles secrete a toxin called cantharidin which can cause irritation and blisters on human skin. If ingested, it can irritate the digestive tract.

If you have come into direct contact with blister beetle toxin, you may notice blistering within 24-48 hours. While it’s not life-threatening, it is painful, and symptoms can carry on for around a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

Blister beetles are commonly found in places where there’s an abundance of grasshoppers and their eggs and bee eggs.

Alfalfa fields are also home ground for these beetles as they feed on alfalfa flowers.

You may also find them on other garden vegetable plants like tomatoes, potatoes, and soybean.

Blister beetles are spread across North America’s eastern and southern states and other countries like the West Indies, South America, and Central America.

Thank you for reading! I hope I covered all you needed to know about where to find and be mindful of these bugs.