Bugs - You Should NOT Touch!

1) Family Meloidae - Blister Beetles 

Blister beetle welts and blisters can be painful, but the skin reaction isn’t life-threatening to humans, and it doesn’t typically cause permanent damage to the skin.

However, while these blisters aren’t dangerous to your skin, it’s important to use care to avoid spreading cantharidin to your eyes. This can happen if you touch a blister or welt and then rub your eyes. You may develop a type of conjunctivitis called Nairobi eye.

Washing your eye with soap and water may ease irritation from Nairobi eye, but you should also see an eye doctor for treatment.

Found these at a nature park at the end of the morning walk, they were 100's.Lucky was able to snap a couple shots with no contact.

(Bug Guide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/181 ).

Posted on August 4, 2022 10:00 PM by peterjoseph peterjoseph

Observations

Photos / Sounds

Observer

peterjoseph

Date

July 31, 2022 09:04 AM CDT

Description

Hundreds of blister beetles were in mass eating up a (nightshade?) plants on the end of the trail. May have come from the hay fields across the river.

Note:
These Blister Beetle when threatened can release a chemical that causes chemical burns on human skin.

Also known to be caught in the alfalfa hay when it is harvest. When the hay is eaten by horses can cause blisters. And as few as five blister beetles eaten can cause a horse to die. YIKES!

Comments

No comments yet.

Add a Comment

Sign In or Sign Up to add comments