Lyttini
Guides
Lytta arizonica
Lytta arizonica is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Selander in 1957. It is placed in the subgenus Paralytta within the genus Lytta. The species is found in North America, with collection records indicating presence in the southwestern United States.
Lytta childi
Lytta childi is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, classified within the subgenus Poreospasta of the genus Lytta. The species was described by LeConte in 1857 and is known from western North America. Like other Lytta species, it produces cantharidin, a defensive compound toxic to vertebrates. The species is represented in museum collections with 126 specimens at the Entomology Research Museum, indicating it is moderately well-collected but not extensively studied in published literature.
Lytta mutilata
Lytta mutilata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Horn in 1875. It is classified in the subgenus Adicolytta within the genus Lytta. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with museum holdings documenting 28 specimens in the Entomology Research Museum collection.
Lytta reticulata
blister beetle
Lytta reticulata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is found in North America. The species belongs to the genus Lytta, which includes numerous blister beetles known for producing the defensive compound cantharidin. Field observations indicate adults are active during spring and early summer, with records from May through June in southwestern U.S. habitats.
Lytta viridana
Viridescent Blister Beetle
Lytta viridana is a North American blister beetle in the family Meloidae, occurring in mixed colonies with congeners in the Canadian prairies and western North America. Adults are active from late May to late June, feeding primarily on wild and cultivated legumes with occasional consumption of non-leguminous plants including cereals and sugar beets. The species exhibits complex reproductive behavior including multiple matings, multiple egg batches per female, and documented hybridization with L. nuttalli. Embryological development is well-studied, with eggs requiring moist soil conditions and completing development in 2-3 weeks at typical summer temperatures.