Oil Beetle

cfox@mit.edu's picture
September 17, 2016
chunky blue-black beetle on twig
chunky blue-black beetle with hand for scale

I climbed Mt. Monadnock with the kids today. More about that another time, but it was nice and we had a good time. On the way back on Birchtoft trail, I saw this rather imposing beetle wandering slowly along the ground trail-side. Picked it up to get a better look, and noticed it ooze a drop of yellow liquid out a leg joint (shown in the second picture), which I had the good sense not to touch (it apparently contains a blistering agent). It's an oil beetle, but it's not quite clear to me which species - maybe (Meloe impressus)? Jaffrey NH, 09/17/2016.

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