Black blister beetle on car's window.
Blister Beetles produce Cantharidin, a poisonous substance comparable to cyanide and strychnine in toxicity. The substance is very stable and remains toxic in dead beetles. Animals may be poisoned by ingesting beetles while grazing or eating harvested silage. Cantharidin can also cause severe skin inflammation and blisters. It is absorbed through the intestine and can cause symptoms such as inflammation, colic, straining, elevated temperature, depression, increased heart rate and respiration, dehydration, sweating, and diarrhea. There is frequent urination during the first 24 hours after ingestion, accompanied by inflammation of the urinary tract. This irritation may also result in secondary infection and bleeding. The concentration of cantharidin in adult beetles depends primarily on the sex; males produce the chemical and only pass on small amounts to the females during mating. Cantharidin amounts also depend on species; the striped blister beetle has approximately five times more catharidin than the black variety.
Size: 4800px × 3600px
Location: New York State, USA
Photo credit: © Peter Steiner / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: cyanide, antennas, auto, beetle, belly, blister, bug, cantharidin, car, climb, climbing, glass, insect, legs, poisonous, silhouette, stuck, thorax, toxic, vertical, window
