Short-Winged Blister Beetle - Meloe angusticollis

Moved

Moved from Oil Beetles.

I'm astonished that no one's created a guide page for this in the 3+ years since it was IDed.

On second thought... this Art Evans fellow- what does he know about beetles, anyway? ;)

… Chuck Entz, 20 November, 2007 - 11:25pm

Meloe

This species is Meloe angusticollis.

… Art Evans, 27 August, 2004 - 11:29pm

ID confirmed by John Pinto

… v belov, 11 June, 2009 - 5:15pm

Do they fly?

Do they fly? I saw three of them over the weekend. I accidentally flash photographed one up close. It didn't move for a while after that. Musta been blinded. I marked where it was and came back about 20 minutes later and couldn't find it. So I assume it recovered or got eaten. Are they pests to gardens?

… Jason Root, 8 October, 2007 - 1:48pm

I'll say they are pests, at lest, for my chives.

THey ate them all. I must have had 100s, everywhere in my yard you have these big black bugs, and they all smell like chives

… Onno De Jong, 20 October, 2007 - 5:58pm

"oil beetle"

This is a blister beetle, in the genus Meloe. Looks to be a female, as males have a distinctive "kink" in their antennae. They are parasites of solitary bees. Like most Meloids, they can be locally common, for very short periods of time, and then not seen again in any quantity for years.

… Eric R. Eaton, 11 June, 2004 - 5:19pm

Tough shot

They don't stand still very long do they? :)

… Troy Bartlett, 19 April, 2004 - 8:50pm

Tough Shot

They sure don't. I pretty much got lucky on this one...

… Todd Long, 20 April, 2004 - 8:32am