Desert Blister Beetle vs Broad-backed Grouse Locust

Side-by-side species comparison

Desert Blister Beetle

A soft-bodied beetle that produces cantharidin, a blistering toxin, in its hemolymph. It feeds on desert wildflowers after seasonal rains.

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Its larvae are parasites that consume grasshopper eggs buried in desert soil.

A pygmy grasshopper with a high crested pronotum that gives it a broad-backed appearance. It inhabits dry forest floors in eastern North America.

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Its tall pronotal crest makes it look remarkably like a tiny piece of bark or wood chip on the forest floor.