Species group · Insects

Blister beetles

WAnimals has 2 species of blister beetle, spread across 2 families (Cantharidae, Meloidae).

2 species

2 families

54 countries

165 parks

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 2.

All 2 species of blister beetles on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Soldier Beetle

Cantharis rustica

Spanish Fly

Lytta vesicatoria

2 Not Evaluated

No species documented in this group is genuinely at risk according to the IUCN, with the data available today.

Recorded in 54 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Despite its Spanish name cantárida roja, it has nothing to do with the poisonous cantharidin of the blister beetles: it is a harmless predator and a useful one in crops and gardens.
From Soldier Beetle
Its elytra are soft and flexible rather than rigid as in most beetles, which gives it the look of an almost larval winged insect.
From Soldier Beetle
The larvae hunt in the soil even under snow, and are sometimes seen walking on top of it in winter.
From Soldier Beetle
It is the source of so-called Spanish fly, a preparation with a reputation as an aphrodisiac that is in fact a poison: cantharidin irritates the urinary tract and has caused numerous deaths from minute doses.
From Spanish Fly
Cantharidin has been used in dermatology to remove warts, applied under controlled conditions.
From Spanish Fly
Its larvae are parasitic: they seek out the nests of solitary bees and devour the provisions and the brood.
From Spanish Fly