This beetle is active year-round, however typically, we see the most activity in the spring. The larvae of this beetle climbs up the blades of grass or flowers, mimicking a female bee by use of a pheromone. It sits waiting for an unsuspecting, usually solitary, bee to come along. Once they do, the beetle larvae hitch a ride on the male bee and will wait until the male bee meets with a female bee. When the male and female bee’s meet, the larvae of the beetle transfers itself to the female bee, it is then taken back to the nest. While the beetle larvae is in the nest it will feed on the same items as the bee larvae, nectar and pollen, and sometimes the bee larvae as well, until it undergoes its metamorphosis to adulthood. The gestation time can take up to a year to see the adult emerge from the ground. Depending on the species as there are some 250 variants of blister beetles in the US, the adult will usually live 3-5 months.

When speaking about control of the blister beetle, there are 2 ways this can be achieved. In speaking of smaller settings, such as a home garden, physical control may be the way to achieve control. Wearing protective clothing such as non-porous gloves, and physically removing the beetles from infected plants. In larger scale areas, such as fields, or entire lawns that show the presence of the blister beetle, chemical control may be necessary. For more information on Blister beetle control if you are experiencing an issue at your home, please contact our office today.