oil beetle

insect

Also known as: Meloinae

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Oil beetles are a type of blister beetle belonging to the subfamily Meloinae. These insects are known for emitting a yellowish, oily substance from their leg joints when disturbed, which serves as a defense mechanism due to its bad taste.12

Blister beetles, including oil beetles, are classified within the insect class Insecta and the order Coleoptera. While some species' larvae help control grasshopper populations, adult blister beetles can damage crops and pose a risk to livestock if ingested. The substance they secrete, cantharidin, has been used in pharmaceuticals and traditional remedies, but it is poisonous in large doses.2

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blister beetle
Physical description
…Meloinae are sometimes known as oil beetles. They do not have hindwings as do most blister beetles, nor do their wing covers meet in the middle of the back; rather, the covers are much shorter and overlap. Oil beetles secrete an oily substance that protects them from predators because of…
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…Meloinae are sometimes known as oil beetles. They do not have hindwings as do most blister beetles, nor do their wing covers meet in the middle of the back; rather, the covers are much shorter and overlap. Oil beetles secrete an oily substance that protects them from predators because of…
Read More