Just don't touch

This pair of mating Black blister Beetles (Meloe barbarus) that I came upon during my morning walk know they have little to fear from predators.
20230815_083111.jpg
Touch one of these beetles and they will likely exude an oily substance from their joints known as cantharidin
70311_fig01___20220721163234.jpeg
that can cause severe blisters on skin and severe illness in grazing animals (such as horses) that eat vegetation that contains the Beetles.
So I just took my photos and left these two to continue on with procreation.
20230815_083042.jpg

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.18
TRX 0.13
JST 0.028
BTC 57709.05
ETH 3100.20
USDT 1.00
SBD 2.33