Error message
Unable to fetch location details at this time.
Ashgray Blister Beetle
Epicauta fabricii
39.1057, -96.6
Field Notes
Description:
Pretty sure it's E. fabricii, though if not, it certainly looks like a blister beetle in the same genus. Found late summer along the Konza Prairie Nature Trail outside of Manhattan, Kansas.
Notes:
For anyone who doesn't know, you should NOT handle blister beetles with your bare hands; when agitated, they secrete a fluid from their joints which will irritate your skin and raise blisters (hence the name). They're also a pretty significant threat to livestock in agriculture-heavy states like Kansas; the fluid they secrete is toxic to most livestock, and these beetles have an affinity for alfalfa, which is harvested and fed to livestock animals.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment
Sign in to comment