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Beetles of Zihuatanejo

ORDER COLEOPTERA

Epicauta cupraeola
Epicauta cupraeola

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)

-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)

-Insects (Class Insecta)

-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)

-Beetles (Order Coleoptera​​)

-​Blister Beetles (Family Meloidae)

-Subfamily Meloinae

-Tribe Epicautini

-Burning Blister Beetles (Genus Epicauta)

-Epicauta cupraeola


Epicauta cupraeola, a species of burning blister beetle, belongs to the genus Epicauta within the family Meloidae. Like other blister beetles, it is known for its ability to secrete cantharidin, a toxic compound that can cause blisters on contact with skin. Adult Feeding: The adults feed primarily on flowers, leaves, and stems of plants, often targeting legumes, which makes them potential pests in agricultural areas. Larval Feeding: The larvae are beneficial parasitoids that feed on the eggs of grasshoppers and locusts, providing natural pest control in grassland ecosystems.

Diet

  • Adults: Primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, flowers, buds and other above-ground plant tissues. Adult feeding can involve a variety of herbaceous plants.

  • Larvae: Have a very different life history. The first larval stage actively seeks grasshopper egg pods, and subsequent larval stages feed on the eggs. This hypermetamorphic development is characteristic of Epicauta.

Range

  • Epicauta cupraeola occurs from Mexico southward through Central America to Costa Rica, with records extending through several regions of Mexico.

Habitat

  • Occurs in tropical and subtropical forest, dry forest, grassland, woodland edges, agricultural areas and other open habitats.

  • Adults are commonly associated with herbaceous vegetation and flowers.

  • Larval development takes place in soil-associated environments where grasshopper egg pods are available.

  • Adults can also be attracted to lights.

Size

  • Adult length: approximately 15–25 mm (0.6–1.0 in).

  • Body elongate and relatively soft, with narrow elytra, long legs and thread-like antennae.

  • The species can be quite variable in colour and surface appearance, contributing to its complicated taxonomic history.

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