Oil beetle (Meloe proscarabaeus)
The oil beetles are a family of beetles that share a fascinating life-cycle in which the larvae are parasites of certain bees or... More 6 Images 5 Videos ...
The latter are the oil beetles (fig. 23) or blister beetles (fig. 24), insects with rather soft cuticle, the elytra (often abbreviated) not fitting closely to the sides of the abdomen, the head constricted behind the eyes to form FIG. 23.
Another group of meloid beetles has no cantharadin and is sometimes called the oil beetles because of the oily substance they secrete as protection against predators.
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Depending on the species, a female may lay a single egg (like chafers, Scarabaeidae family) or a batch of several thousand (such as oil beetles, Meloidae family). Most females do not take care of the eggs once they are laid.
They all have very short wing cases, leaving the greater part of the body naked. The real wings are folded under the remains of the shields, the same way earwigs do. Oil Beetles as well as a few Longhorn Beetles also have extremely small shields.
 See also: Beetle, Weevil, Pupa, Water Beetle, Fly
  
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