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Exhibit of the Month 7 / 2017
This species inhabits the warmer areas of Europe and Asia. The beetles appear from May to July and under favorable conditions, they can also be observed around Most. Adult beetles, often in large numbers, feed on the leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs such as ash, privet, willow, honeysuckle, or lilac.
The blister beetle belongs to the family Meloidae and, like other representatives of this family, can secrete a toxic substance called cantharidin. However, in blister beetles, only the males secrete the toxic substance. During mating, they transfer it to the female, who subsequently passes it on to the eggs. Upon contact with human skin, cantharidin causes dermatitis with painful and suppurating blisters. Eye exposure is particularly dangerous, as it can lead to blindness.
The blister beetle is also known in many countries as "Spanish fly" and was often used in the past as an effective aphrodisiac. The French nobleman Marquis de Sade, for example, administered it to prostitutes during orgies. Cantharidin, at lower concentrations, causes increased blood flow to the sexual and urinary organs and often leads to painful erections in men. However, the use of these aphrodisiacs carried a high risk of overdose and death.
However, the toxin does not affect all animals equally. Some species are immune to the poison or accumulate it in their bodies. Among the resistant animals are primarily burrowing birds and frogs.
Humans have also tried to use the toxin from the blister beetle in other ways. In ancient times, an infusion of blister beetles was used in executions, while in the Middle Ages, there was an effort to turn it into a medicine. Powder or tincture from blister beetles was used as a remedy for a wide range of diseases from rheumatism to rabies. In women, it was even used as a means of terminating pregnancy.