BLISTER BEETLES! GOOD OR BAD?

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Blister beetles are quite fascinating insects, since they are causing both benefit and loss to the farmers. The immature stages called grubs are beneficial since they feed on eggs of grasshoppers and show their usefulness in the garden. However, the adults are gregarious feeder of foliage and cause damage to the garden. So like any other insect  we don't need to completely eradicate them from the surroundings. They are playing their role in both good and bad ways. Instead we just need to maintain them at levels where they can survive sustainably. The colorful beetles get their name from the blistering substance (Cantharidin) that they produce as a defensive mechanism. So you might want to keep your hands off them.

Blister beetle adult on cucurbit vine

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 8, 2022 at 8:07 AM

    See..I think these are just a part of ecosystem..they looks beautiful.more often their larval stage...I don't know which course r u pursuing in gb pant...but u can be a great wildlife photographer... tiwari ji..... sukriya vikrant tiwari .

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