brown blister beetle

(Zonitis vittigera)

Conservation Status
IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

not listed

Minnesota

not listed

 
brown blister beetle
Photo by Alfredo Colon
 
Description

Brown blister beetle is also called orange blister beetle, but that common name is used for another.

Brown blister beetle is mostly orange, reddish-yellow (tawny), light brownish-red, or brownish-yellow.

The hardened wing covers (elytra) have a black longitudinal stripe that varies in size between individuals. Sometimes the elytra are almost entirely black. They are moderately densely covered with shallow punctures.

On each leg, the third leg segment (femur) is black at the tip; the fourth leg segment (tibia) is mostly black; and the end part of the leg (tarsus), corresponding to the foot, is mostly black.

 

Size

Total length: ¼ to ½ (7 to 12 mm)

 

Similar Species

 
Habitat

 

Biology

Season

May to August

 

Behavior

 

 

Life Cycle

 

 

Larva Food

 

 

Adult Food

 

Distribution

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 27, 29, 30, 82, 83.

6/24/2024    
     

Occurrence

 

Taxonomy

Order

Coleoptera (beetles)

Suborder

Polyphaga (water, rove, scarab, long-horned, leaf, and snout beetles)

Infraorder

Cucujiformia

Superfamily

Tenebrionoidea (darkling beetles and allies)

Family

Meloidae (blister beetles)

Subfamily

Nemognathinae

Tribe

Nemognathini

Genus

Zonitis

Subgenus

Parazonitis

   

Subordinate Taxa

brown blister beetle (Zonitis vittigera propinqua)

brown blister beetle (Zonitis vittigera vittigera)

   

Synonyms

 

   

Common Names

brown blister beetle

long-tongued blister beetle

orange blister beetle

 

Zonitis vittigera is known by the common name orange blister beetle, but another beetle, Nemognatha piazata, is also known by that common name. Zonitis vittigera is sometimes given the common name brown blister beetle. To avoid confusion, that name will be used here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Elytra

The hardened or leathery forewings of beetles used to protect the fragile hindwings, which are used for flying. Singular: elytron.

 

Femur

On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.

 

Tarsus

On insects, the last two to five subdivisions of the leg, attached to the tibia; the foot. On spiders, the last segment of the leg. Plural: tarsi.

 

Tibia

The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot). The fifth segment of a spider leg or palp.

 

 

 

 

 

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Maureen Burkle

brown blister beetle  

brown blister beetle

Greg Watson

brown blister beetle  

 

Looks like a brown blister beetle on this daisy.  

 

Alfredo Colon

brown blister beetle   brown blister beetle
     
brown blister beetle   brown blister beetle
     
brown blister beetle   brown blister beetle
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
   

 

   

 

 

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Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
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Maureen Burkle
6/23/2024

Location: Olmsted County

brown blister beetle
Greg Watson
7/2/2021

Location: Great River Bluffs State Park

Looks like a brown blister beetle on this daisy.

brown blister beetle

Alfredo Colon
8/17/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

brown blister beetle

Alfredo Colon
6/12/2018

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

brown blister beetle

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Created: 6/9/2019

Last Updated:

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