Blister Beetles!
October 18th, 2007 by Kelley
Guess what I came across the other day while at work…a blister beetle (Meloe sp.). Blister beetles get their name from a chemical they produce called Cantharidin which is a highly toxic irritant that causes blistering (want to see a pic?). The compound, which is also found in a few other insects, has been used as an aphrodisiac in the past. Interestingly enough, the compound is also used in wart removal ointments. The beetles produce the compound as a defense mechanism. When disturbed they curl up and play dead and exude the chemical from their joints, this behavior is referred to as reflex bleeding.
Another cool fact about blister beetles is that the larvae crawl up on flowers and wait for solitary bees to come by so they can grab a hold of them and be transported by the bee back to the nest. Once back in the nest, the larvae feed on the eggs and larvae of the bees, as well as the pollen that is brought back. Once the beetle pupates, it crawls out of the nest and back into the soil to complete its life cycle and become an adult.
What’s not to like about this insect?
Okay, so send me some of that so I can get rid of the plantar’s wart I’ve had on the bottom of my foot for four years. That’s right. FOUR YEARS. Grrrrrr… And yes, I’ve seen three doctors about it and no one wants to surgically remove it, yet nothing they try has worked.
gross
how CAN somebody like that beetle? its the worst thing on earth! of course, it may be cool, but completley DISGUSTING!!!!!!
The dematologist I see used some of the ointment to get rid of pre-cancerous skin cells on my nose! yes, my nose did blister and swell but the effects are temporary, will heal and I’m now cancer free.
I think it’s pretty cool, but i still wouldn’t want to get blisters from it.
man i already hate bugs in general
I’ve used the canthardin from these beetles for over 20 years to help rid people of plantar’s warts.
The chemical is super potent and super effective.
The negative thing about it is that most folks say their foot is pretty tender for a few days.
I have had a rather large wart on my hand for a long time and each time I would go to my dermatologist he would freeze it and it took like 7 times before I said enough already, and besides it didn’t look like it was doing much good. So today I had another appointment and he was ready to freeze it again for the 8th time and I told him I didn’t wanna freeze it again so he put Canthardin on it and it did blister, but he didn’t tell me any instructions like if I pop the blister or it’ll pop on it’s own…nothing. So I’m kinda on my own as far as that goes. Hope all goes well.