Meloe proscarabaeus is a European oil beetle. It lives in meadows, field margins and other warm sites in all but the far north of the continent. It lacks hind wings and the elytra are correspondingly reduced in size.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
Poisonous. The note covers its whole family. Blister beetles; cantharidin, blisters on contact Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Meloe cicatricosus — poisonous
- Meloe angusticollis — poisonous
- Meloe violaceus — poisonous
- Meloe brevicollis — poisonous
- Meloe autumnalis — poisonous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Coleoptera
- Family
- Meloidae
- Genus
- Meloe
- Species
- Meloe proscarabaeus
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