Master Blister Beetle

Often seen in pairs, Master Blister Beetles can emit a caustic chemical that creates burning and blistering on skin, warding off potential predators.

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Image Credit: Hugo B., taken at Black Mountain, CA

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Thumbnail image #1 of the Master Blister Beetle

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Image Credit: Hugo B., taken in CA

Full-sized image #2 of the Master Blister Beetle

Thumbnail image #2 of the Master Blister Beetle

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Image Credit: Hugo B., taken in CA

Full-sized image #3 of the Master Blister Beetle

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Image Credit: Hugo B., taken in CA

Full-sized image #4 of the Master Blister Beetle

Thumbnail image #4 of the Master Blister Beetle

TAXONOMY:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Class: Insecta

Order: Coleoptera

Family: Meloidae

Genus: Lytta

Species: magister

The Master Blister Beetle is typically 0.6 inches to 1.2 inches (16mm to 33mm) in size and has the following descriptors / identifiers: red head and legs; black wing covers; textures; bumpy; antennae; painful; burning.

It has a typical diet of the following: larvae feed on insects and adults feed on pollen or flowers.

Color Identification Guide

Various colors commonly associated with this beetle.

Red

Black

Beetle Anatomy

Territorial Area Map (Visual Reference Guide)

The map below showcases (in blue) the states and territories of North America where the Master Blister Beetle may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data can be useful in seeing concentrations of a particular species over the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some species are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America.

Alaska

Hawaii

Prince Edward Is.

Contiguous United States shape map layer graphic

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