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I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

Watch out for this beetle

01 Iron Cross Blister Beetle Weaver Mts Yarnell AZ

Iron Cross Blister Beetle

I posted a photo of this colorful beetle here but didn’t know what it was. Then wouldn’t you know it, fellow bloggers helped me with an identification. Kathie of Kathiesbirds alerted Doug from Gossamer Tapestry and he identified this Iron Cross Blister Beetle. So I Googled it.

“Normally these beetles emerge in large numbers in mid to late spring and move together in bands crawling or running across the ground. [I only saw one.] They feed on succulent leaves and flower petals. The larva stage is subterranean and likely is parasitic in nests of ground-nesting bees.

“Iron Cross Beetle's conspicuous coloration is related to the fact that they carry cantharidin toxins that can interfere with the vertebrate nervous system - i.e. it is an aposemtic [coloration] warning. In case you were wondering, you should not eat these insects.”

16 comments:

Pat said...

He's pretty....even if he weren't toxic, the last thing I'd want to do would be to pop him in my mouth. Argh.

blog with no name said...

Oh man! I'm already half way through a batch that I just pan fried... lol
no wonder it's getting hard to type...
Guess I'll go to the hardwhare store for some sushi to top it off! :)

Diane said...

We also have blister beetles here in Europe but I am not sure if the markings are the same. I have just read the following -Spanish Fly is ground-up blister beetle, indigenous to Europe. !!!! Diane

A human kind of human said...

I hope I never get quite that hungry. Good to look at, but to eat? Not!

Joe Todd said...

Just stopped by to say Hi. No beetles for me

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Gaelyn: Neat coloration on the beetle, I swear I will not it one. LOL

The Giraffe Head Tree said...

As cool and colorful as this guy looks I would have NEVER tried to eat one! ICK and LOL! Thanks, Gaelyn!

Rambling Woods said...

Darn...now I will have to order take-out for dinner

Barb said...

Quite a colorful critter - I will heed your advise - no beetles for dinner (of the Cross Blister type...)

Ruth said...

Uggh! The thought of eating any beetle does not appeal to me at all. If I am starving, I will remember to leave colourful ones alone.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Beautiful beetle Gaelyn but I guess he is not going into my stew pot. :)

Naquillity said...

lovin' the beetle but won't be eatin' him anytime soon. hope you had a great weekend.

mina said...

thank goodness for bloggers! we've got pictures of all kinds of things from africa that we'll be posting and we're hoping that people can identify things for us!

Janie said...

They're pretty, but not anyone I'd want to mess with.
Blister beetles in hay can kill a horse. Probably not the same species that get into a hayfield, but the toxin must be the same.

Quiet Paths said...

I definitely won't be serving these on my table. Isn't ti cool how nature lets us know not to eat these beetles? :)

Dawn Fine said...

Thanks for telling me Gaeyln..I was just about to munch down on one! :)
Very cool looking beetle.

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