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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Fungus, Bark, Darkling and Blister Beetles (Tenebrionoidea) » Blister Beetles (Meloidae) » Oil Beetles (Meloe) » Temporary page: images seen and deemed unIDable by Dr. Pinto (Meloe Temporary page: images seen and deemed unIDable by Dr. Pinto)
Photo#155335
Black Beetle w/ Ant-like Head - Meloe - male
Copyright © 2007 Heather707

Black Beetle w/ Ant-like Head - Meloe - Male
Hamilton, Mercer County, New Jersey, USA
November 4, 2007
Size: Approximately 1 Inch
We found this little guy on our back porch as well as a few around our raised planter beds. We think this might be rare find - it's been unseasonably warm here for November - approximately 60 degrees F. He looks an awful lot like this guy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meloe_proscarabaeus but the article says he's only in Europe. Anyone have any ideas?
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Contributed by Heather707 on 4 November, 2007 - 12:19pm
Last updated 5 June, 2009 - 11:14pm

Moved
Moved from Oil Beetles.
… v belov, 5 June, 2009 - 11:14pm login or register to post comments

There are other spp. of Meloe in N. America
see here. I'm definitely not qualified to identify yours to species but maybe someone else can. As for rarity, there are many images of oil beetles on this site, with locations including many northern states - see data map. I'd be very thrilled to come across one, though. : )
… Hannah Nendick-Mason, 4 November, 2007 - 12:23pm login or register to post comments

 
Blister beetle.
I agree with Hannah on the ID, and the explanation she gives. Blister beetles in general tend to be locally abundant for very short periods of time (about a week or two tops), emerging synchronously in large numbers. Meloe are parasites (in the larval stage) on immature solitary bees. So, you must have nests (in the soil) of the host bee....This specimen is a male, evidenced by the oddly "kinked" antennae, used in courtship and mating.
… Eric R. Eaton, 5 November, 2007 - 2:46pm login or register to post comments

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