Blister Beetle vs Alpine Tiger Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Blister Beetle Alpine Tiger Beetle
Scientific Name Epicauta vittata Cicindela gallica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Meloidae Cicindelidae
Size 12-20 mm 12-15 mm
Habitat Farmland Grasslands
Diet Omnivores Predators
Regions North America Alps, Pyrenees, Apennines
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Blister Beetle

A striped black and yellow beetle that releases cantharidin, a chemical causing painful skin blisters. It is a pest of tomatoes and potatoes.

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Did You Know?

Horses can die from eating hay contaminated with just a few crushed blister beetles.

Alpine Tiger Beetle

A fast-running predatory beetle of dry alpine grasslands and rocky paths. Its greenish-bronze coloration provides camouflage on sun-baked ground.

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Did You Know?

It runs so fast while hunting that it temporarily goes blind and must stop to re-locate its prey.