Oil Beetle

Natural Habitat

Grassy areas and meadows, particularly near bee colonies

Diet & Feeding

Adults eat plant materials like flowers and leaves; Larvae are parasitic on wild bees

Behavior Patterns

Flightless beetles that release a toxic oily substance when threatened. Larvae climb flowers to hitch rides on foraging bees back to their nests.

Risks & Benefits

Produces cantharidin, a toxic chemical that causes skin blistering if handled. Beneficial to ecosystems as a natural population control for certain bee species.

Identified on: 3/1/2026