Mylabris quadripunctata (Fabricius, 1775)
Family: Meloidae (Blister Beetles)
Body length: 13 to 16mm
Season April to September.
Blister Beetles when threatened produce a secretion of cantharidin (used medically to remove warts from the skin) which can burn and cause blisters, this being a defensive action. Being colourful, makes them very visible, thus a warning sign to their would-be predators.
Around 7,500 species are known Worldwide.
The female Beetle lays between 3000 to 4000 eggs, a large number of these eggs do not survive. The larvae are insectivorous. mainly attacking solitary bees and also grasshopper eggs. Although they can usually survive on the provisions alone, so can also be described as a kleptoparasite (an animal which feeds on the hosts provisional food source)
The larvae are hyper metamorphosis, (going through many instars, (development stages) which can be totally distinct from another instar)
Adults generally feed on flowers, nectar, pollen and leaves of various diverse plant families.
Habitat: Mountain grasslands up to 4000m