Meloidae
Guides
Megetra punctata
Megetra punctata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Selander in 1965. The species is distributed across Central America and North America. Like other members of the genus Megetra, it exhibits aposematic coloration warning of its chemical defenses.
Megetra vittata
Megetra vittata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, ranging from northern Arizona to western Texas. It is one of three recognized species in the North American genus Megetra. The species produces cantharidin, a defensive toxin that is dangerous to livestock when ingested. It appears to be strictly allopatric with and ecologically similar to M. punctata.
Meloe angusticollis
short-winged blister beetle, oil beetle
Meloe angusticollis is a North American blister beetle known for its short elytra that leave most of the abdomen exposed. Adults release cantharidin-laden hemolymph as a chemical defense, which causes skin blistering in humans. The species exhibits hypermetamorphosis, with mobile first-instar larvae (triungulins) that parasitize solitary bees by hitchhiking to nest sites. Females are notably larger than males, reaching up to 19 mm.
Meloe barbarus
oil beetle
Meloe barbarus is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by LeConte in 1861. It belongs to the subgenus Treiodous within the genus Meloe. The species is found in North America, with collection records from western regions including British Columbia, Canada. Like other oil beetles in the genus Meloe, it possesses defensive chemical compounds and exhibits complex life history traits involving parasitism of ground-nesting bees.
Meloe carbonaceus
oil beetle
Meloe carbonaceus is a species of blister beetle (family Meloidae) described by LeConte in 1866. The species is known from North America, with records from Alberta, Canada. Like other members of the genus Meloe, it is commonly referred to as an oil beetle. The species is represented by limited specimen holdings in museum collections.
Meloe dianella
Meloe dianella is a species of blister beetle (family Meloidae) first described by Pinto and Selander in 1970. It belongs to the genus Meloe, commonly known as oil beetles, which are characterized by their defensive production of cantharidins. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia). Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to have a parasitic life cycle involving solitary bees, though specific details for this species remain undocumented.
Meloe dugesi
Meloe dugesi is a species of blister beetle (family Meloidae) described by Champion in 1891. It belongs to the genus Meloe, commonly known as oil beetles, which are characterized by their defensive production of cantharidins. The species occurs in Central America and North America. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits the typical Meloe life cycle involving triungulin larvae that parasitize solitary bees.
Meloe franciscanus
Meloe franciscanus is a blister beetle endemic to the southwestern United States. Adults are flightless and feed on Astragalus lentiginosus. The species is notable for its highly specialized larval parasitism of solitary bees in the genus Habropoda. First described from San Francisco dunes in 1928, the species was presumed locally extirpated there due to habitat loss but persists in other regions.
Meloe impressus
blister beetle, oil beetle
Meloe impressus is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. It belongs to a genus commonly known as oil beetles, characterized by their defensive secretion of cantharidin, a potent blistering agent. The species is recorded across western and central Canada and the United States. Like other Meloe species, it likely exhibits the complex life history involving parasitic larvae that exploit solitary bees as hosts, though specific details for this species remain poorly documented.
Nemognatha
Nemognatha is a genus of blister beetles (family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae) containing at least 20 described species. Adults are distinguished by greatly elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding from flowers with deep corollas. The genus exhibits specialized reproductive biology: females serve as vectors for first-instar larvae, transporting them to host nests of bees where they develop as parasites. This phoretic transport mechanism and nest parasitism represent distinctive life history traits within the Meloidae.
Nemognatha bifoveata
Beebalm Blister Beetle
Nemognatha bifoveata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. It is found in North America. The species belongs to a genus characterized by elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on flowers with deep corollas. The specific epithet 'bifoveata' refers to two foveae (depressions or pits), likely a diagnostic morphological feature. The species was described by W.R. Enns in his 1956 revision of North American Nemognathinae.
Nemognatha cantharidis
Nemognatha cantharidis is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by MacSwain in 1951. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding on flowers. The species occurs in Central America and North America.
Nemognatha lurida
Nemognatha lurida is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. The species occurs in Central and North America, with two recognized subspecies: N. l. lurida and N. l. apicalis. Like other members of the genus, it possesses elongated maxillary structures adapted for nectar feeding on flowers. The species is represented by 172 specimens in the UCR Entomology Research Museum collection.
Nemognatha macswaini
Nemognatha macswaini is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. It was described by W.R. Enns in 1956. The species is found in North America and is part of a genus characterized by elongated, nectar-feeding mouthparts adapted to flowers with deep corollas. Like other Nemognatha species, it likely feeds on pollen and nectar as an adult.
Nemognatha nemorensis
Eastern Black-headed Nemognatha
Nemognatha nemorensis is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, commonly known as the Eastern Black-headed Nemognatha. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada (Ontario, Québec) and the United States (Vermont and broader eastern regions). The species belongs to a genus whose larvae are known to develop in the nests of solitary bees, though specific life history details for this species are limited in available sources.
Nemognatha nigripennis
Nemognatha nigripennis is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by LeConte in 1853. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, characterized by elongated maxillae adapted for feeding on flower nectar. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its genus, adults are typically found on flowers where they feed on pollen and nectar using their specialized mouthparts.
Nemognatha nitidula
blister beetle
Nemognatha nitidula is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by Enns in 1956. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding on flowers. The species is found in North America and is part of a genus known for its distinctive floral associations and capillary-based nectar uptake rather than true sucking mouthparts.
Nemognatha piazata
Orange Blister Beetle
Nemognatha piazata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, commonly known as the Orange Blister Beetle. It is native to North America and belongs to the distinctive subfamily Nemognathinae, whose members possess elongated mouthparts adapted for feeding on flower nectar. The species was described by Fabricius in 1798 and includes three recognized subspecies: N. p. piazata, N. p. bicolor, and N. p. palliata.
Nemognatha piazata bicolor
Nemognatha piazata bicolor is a subspecies of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, characterized by adults with greatly elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on nectar from deep-corolla flowers. The species is part of a genus notable for its specialized nectar-feeding morphology that functions through capillary action rather than true sucking.
Nemognatha punctulata
Nemognatha punctulata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. Like other members of its genus, it possesses elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on flower nectar. The species is found in North America. It belongs to a group of meloid beetles whose nectar-feeding mechanism involves capillary action rather than true sucking.
Nemognatha scutellaris
blister beetle
Nemognatha scutellaris is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, native to North America. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group distinguished by elongated adult mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding. The species is among the more frequently collected members of its genus, with approximately 450 specimens held in the Entomology Research Museum collection. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, it exhibits specialized feeding adaptations involving capillary action rather than true sucking mouthparts.
Nemognatha selanderi
Nemognatha selanderi is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by Enns in 1956. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated adult mouthparts adapted for feeding on flowers. The species is known from North America. Like other members of its genus, it likely possesses the distinctive elongated maxillae that enable nectar feeding from deep corolla flowers.
Nemognatha soror
Nemognatha soror is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by MacSwain in 1951. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group distinguished by greatly elongated adult mouthparts adapted for feeding on flowers. The species is found in North America, with records from British Columbia.
Nemognatha sparsa
Nemognatha sparsa is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by LeConte in 1868. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, which is characterized by elongated adult mouthparts adapted for feeding on flowers. The species is known from North America, with specimen records from museum collections in the western United States.
Nemognathinae
blister beetles
Nemognathinae is a subfamily of blister beetles (Meloidae) characterized by highly modified adult mouthparts, with elongated maxillae adapted for feeding on nectar from deep-corolla flowers. The subfamily contains approximately 8 genera and at least 80-120 described species globally, distributed across all continents except New Zealand, eastern Polynesian Islands, and Antarctica. Members exhibit diverse morphological adaptations including sexually dimorphic antennae in some taxa, abbreviated elytra, and reduced hind wings in certain genera. The subfamily is divided into five tribes: Nemognathini, Horiini, Cissitini, Leptopalpini, and Stenoriini.
Phodaga marmorata
Phodaga marmorata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, tribe Eupomphini. The species is characterized by its marbled or mottled coloration, as indicated by its specific epithet. It occurs in both Central and North America. Like other members of Meloidae, it possesses chemical defenses including cantharidin, a toxic compound that provides protection against predators.
Plagiostira albonotata
white-marked shieldback
Plagiostira albonotata, commonly known as the white-marked shieldback, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is a large, robust katydid found in arid regions of the southwestern United States. The species is characterized by distinctive white markings on its body. Observations indicate activity during summer months in desert and semi-desert habitats.
shield-backed-katydidOrthopteraTettigoniidaedesertsouthwestern-United-Statesnocturnalbrachypterouskatydidinsectarid-habitatyucca-associationsummer-activitywhite-markingslarge-body-sizePlagiostiriniTettigoniinaeNew-MexicoArizonaUtahwest-Texassand-dunesdesert-scrubcrepuscularlimited-flightScudder-1876Plagiostira-albonotatawhite-marked-shieldbackEnsiferaTettigoniideaTettigonioideaHexapodaArthropodaInsectaAnimaliaEukaryotaMetazoagrasshoppers,-crickets-&-katydidsPlagiostira28-observationsiNaturalistGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBI-TaxonomyWikipediaBeetles-In-The-Bush2018-New-Mexico/Texas-Insect-Collecting-TripTed-C.-MacRaeJeff-HuetherJune-2–9,-2018southeastern-New-MexicoMescalero-Sand-DunesKermit,-TexasHwy-380San-AntonioBinghamSandia-MountainsWalking-Sands-Rest-AreaValley-of-Fire-National-Recreation-AreaSierra-Blanca-MountainsSunset,-New-MexicoHobbs,-New-MexicoKermit-Sand-DunesI-10-Rest-AreaFabens,-TexasCarlsbad,-New-MexicoLoco-Hills,-New-MexicoCarrizozo,-New-MexicoBingham,-New-MexicoSocorro,-New-MexicoThe-BoxyuccaProsopis-glandulosamesquiteOpuntia-imbricatachollaJuniperus-monospermajuniperSapindus-drummondiisoapberryAcacia-greggiicatclaw-acaciaAcacia-rigidablack-acaciaThelespermaDaleaPenstemonRobiniaCeltisGaillardiaOenetheraBaccharisSphaeralceaEphedraCacamacactus-dodger-cicadaTragidion-armatumPrionus-arenariusPrionus-palparisPrionus-integerPolyphyllaMoneilemacactus-beetleGyascutusAcmaeoderaChrysobothrisAgrilusEnoclerusActenodesParatyndarisAcmaeoderopsisBrachysNeoclytusCleridaeCerambycidaeBuprestidaeScarabaeidaeCarabidaeTenebrionidaeMeloidaeCoreidaePompilidaetarantula-hawkCicindelidaeCylindera-lemniscatatiger-beetleLycaenidaeBrephidium-exiliswestern-pygmy-blueEchinargus-isolaReakirt's-blueshieldbackdesert-insectnocturnal-insectbrachypterous-insectsummer-insectarid-land-insectyucca-associated-insectNew-Mexico-insectArizona-insectUtah-insectTexas-insectsouthwestern-US-insectNorth-American-insectNearctic-insectTettigoniidae-insectOrthoptera-insectEnsifera-insectTettigoniinae-insectPlagiostirini-insectPlagiostira-insectP.-albonotatawhite-marked-shieldback-katydidgiant-katydidlarge-katydiddesert-katydidsand-dune-katydidyucca-katydidnocturnal-katydidbrachypterous-katydidsummer-katydidScudder's-katydid1876-katydidOrthopterankatydid-speciesshieldback-speciesTettigoniidae-speciesPlagiostira-speciesdesert-speciesarid-speciesnocturnal-speciesbrachypterous-speciessummer-speciesNew-Mexico-speciesArizona-speciesUtah-speciesTexas-speciessouthwestern-US-speciesNorth-American-speciesNearctic-speciesPleuropasta
Pleuropasta is a genus of blister beetles (family Meloidae) established by Wellman in 1909. The genus contains at least two described species: P. mirabilis (Horn, 1870) and P. reticulata (Van Dyke, 1947). These beetles belong to the tribe Eupomphini within the subfamily Meloinae. Members of this genus are found in arid and semi-arid regions of western North America, particularly in association with desert and scrubland habitats.
Pleuropasta mirabilis
Pleuropasta mirabilis is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Horn in 1870. The species belongs to the tribe Eupomphini, a group of meloid beetles characterized by aposematic coloration and chemical defenses. It occurs in both Central America and North America. The genus Pleuropasta contains at least two recognized species, with P. mirabilis being the more widespread and well-collected of the two.
Pleuropasta reticulata
Pleuropasta reticulata is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by Van Dyke in 1947. The species is found in Central America and North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. As a member of the tribe Eupomphini, it belongs to a group of meloid beetles characterized by aposematic coloration and chemical defenses. The specific epithet 'reticulata' refers to a net-like or reticulated pattern, likely describing the elytral markings. Field observations indicate adults are active during warmer months and may be found in association with flowering plants.
Pseudozonitis
Pseudozonitis is a genus of blister beetles (family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae) established by Dillon in 1952. The genus contains approximately 17 described species distributed primarily in North America. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, species in this genus are characterized by elongated, filamentous maxillae adapted for feeding on nectar from flowers with deep corollas. The genus is closely related to Nemognatha and Zonitis, forming part of a species group within the tribe Nemognathini.
Pseudozonitis brevis
Pseudozonitis brevis is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. Described by Enns in 1956, it is one of approximately 10 recognized species in the genus Pseudozonitis, which is restricted to the New World. The species is known from North America, with museum holdings indicating established populations in the region. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, adults likely possess elongated maxillary structures adapted for nectar feeding on flowers.
Pseudozonitis florida
Pseudozonitis florida is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. The genus Pseudozonitis was established by Enns (1956) in his revision of North American Nemognathinae, distinguishing it from the related genera Nemognatha and Zonitis based on morphological characters. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, adults likely possess elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on floral nectar. The species epithet "florida" suggests a geographic association with Florida, though specific distribution records are sparse.
Pseudozonitis labialis
Twin-spotted Pseudozonitis
Pseudozonitis labialis is a blister beetle (family Meloidae) described by Enns in 1956. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding. The species is known from North America and is one of several species in the genus Pseudozonitis, which was established by Enns in his 1956 revision of the nemognathine genera Nemognatha, Zonitis, and Pseudozonitis.
Pseudozonitis longicornis
Pseudozonitis longicornis is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae. It was described by Horn in 1870. The species is known from North America and is part of the genus Pseudozonitis, which contains approximately 12 described species. Like other meloid beetles, it likely possesses chemical defenses derived from cantharidin or related compounds.
Pseudozonitis pallidus
Pseudozonitis pallidus is a blister beetle species in the family Meloidae, described by Dillon in 1952. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding. The species occurs in North America. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, adults likely feed on floral resources, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Pseudozonitis roseomaculatis
Pseudozonitis roseomaculatis is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Dillon in 1952. As a member of the subfamily Nemognathinae, it possesses the characteristic elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on nectar from deep-corded flowers. The species is known from North America, though specific details regarding its biology, host associations, and habitat preferences remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Pseudozonitis schaefferi
Pseudozonitis schaefferi is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Blatchley in 1922. It belongs to the subfamily Nemognathinae, a group characterized by elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for nectar feeding on flowers. The genus Pseudozonitis comprises approximately 14 described species in North America, with P. schaefferi being one of the less commonly encountered members. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, adults are likely associated with flowers for feeding, while larvae are probably parasitoids or predators of bee eggs and provisions in nest cells.
Pseudozonitis vaurieae
Pseudozonitis vaurieae is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by Enns in 1956. It is distributed across Central America and North America. As a member of the Nemognathinae subfamily, it possesses the characteristic elongated maxillary mouthparts adapted for feeding on flower nectar. The species is part of a genus that was revised by Enns in 1956, who proposed the genus Pseudozonitis to accommodate species previously placed in related genera.
Pseudozonitis vigilans
Pseudozonitis vigilans is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, subfamily Nemognathinae. It was described by Fall in 1907. The species is native to North America and belongs to a genus characterized by elongated mouthparts adapted for feeding on flower nectar.
Pseudozonitis vittipennis
Pseudozonitis vittipennis is a blister beetle (family Meloidae) in the subfamily Nemognathinae, described by Horn in 1875. It is one of approximately 12 species in the genus Pseudozonitis, a New World group characterized by elongated maxillae adapted for nectar feeding. The species is known from western North America, with records from the southwestern United States. Like other nemognathine blister beetles, adults are flower visitors and larvae are parasitoids or predators of other insects.
Pyrota
Pyrota is a genus of blister beetles in the family Meloidae, comprising at least 30 described species. The genus is characterized by complex and highly distinctive courtship behavior involving prolonged physical contact between sexes. Males alternate between mounting above females for dorsal acts (palpation, dorsal antennation, rocking) and positioning behind them for posterior acts (leg grasp, palpal insertion beneath elytra, lifting female body, posterior antennation, abdominal curvature and stroke, genital hold). Adults exhibit little aggressive behavior and copulate in a linear position for extended periods with abdominal pumping by the male. Some species show extreme size dimorphism between mating individuals.
Pyrota bilineata
Pyrota bilineata is a blister beetle (family Meloidae) distributed across western North America. The species exhibits extreme sexual size dimorphism, with males frequently less than half the size of females. Adults are diurnal and commonly observed feeding and mating on flowers of yellow rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) and related Asteraceae. Like other meloids, it produces cantharidin, a defensive compound that renders it unpalatable to predators.
Pyrota concinna
Pyrota concinna is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, distributed across Central America and North America. The species has been observed visiting flowers of Isocoma pluriflora (southern goldenbush) in saltbush chaparral habitats in southeastern New Mexico. As a member of the tribe Pyrotini, it exhibits the typical blister beetle defensive chemistry and soft-bodied adult form characteristic of the family.
Pyrota discoidea
Winecup Pyrota
Pyrota discoidea is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, commonly known as the Winecup Pyrota. The species is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it likely exhibits the typical meloid body plan with soft, flexible elytra and aposematic coloration that serves as warning for its chemical defenses.
Pyrota engelmanni
Pyrota engelmanni is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, first described by LeConte in 1847. It is found in North America. Like other members of the genus Pyrota, it is likely associated with flowers and exhibits the typical meloid body plan with soft, flexible elytra. The species is represented in museum collections by very few specimens, suggesting it may be uncommon or locally distributed.
Pyrota fasciata
Pyrota fasciata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by Selander in 1963. Adults measure 10–21 mm in length, with most specimens below 15 mm. The species is distinguished from congeners by its uniform background shell coloration, contrasting with the two-toned background of Pyrota punctata. It occurs in Central America and North America, with 158 iNaturalist observations documented.
Pyrota insulata
Yellow-crescent Blister Beetle
Pyrota insulata is a blister beetle in the family Meloidae, recognized by the common name yellow-crescent blister beetle. Adults reach approximately 2 cm in length and possess the chemical defense typical of meloids: cantharidin, a skin-irritating compound that causes blistering on contact with human skin. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Pyrota invita
Pyrota invita is a species of blister beetle in the family Meloidae, described by George Henry Horn in 1885. The species is found in North America and belongs to the tribe Pyrotini, a group characterized by aposematic coloration and the production of cantharidin, a toxic defensive compound. As with other Pyrota species, it exhibits the typical meloid body plan with soft, flexible elytra and thread-like antennae.
Pyrota limbalis
Pyrota limbalis is a species of blister beetle (family Meloidae) in the tribe Pyrotini. Like other members of the genus, it belongs to a group of meloid beetles characterized by aposematic coloration and association with flowers. The species name 'limbalis' refers to marginal features, likely of the elytra or pronotum. It is one of approximately 30 described species in the genus Pyrota, which occurs primarily in the Americas.