Spanish fly
| Spanish fly | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Meloidae |
| Subfamily: | Meloinae |
| Tribe: | Lyttini |
| Genus: | Lytta |
| Species: | L. vesicatoria |
| Binomial name | |
|
Lytta vesicatoria (Linnaeus, 1758) |
|
Spanish fly is an emerald-green beetle, Lytta vesicatoria, in the family Meloidae, the blister beetles. It and other such species were used in preparations offered by traditional apothecaries, often referred to as Cantharides or Spanish fly. The insect is the source of the terpenoid cantharidin, a toxic blistering agent once used as an aphrodisiac.
L. vesicatoria is sometimes called Cantharis vesicatoria, although the genus Cantharis is in an unrelated family, Cantharidae, the soldier beetles.
Lytta vesicatoria is a slender, soft-bodied metallic and iridescent golden-green insect, one of the blister beetles. It is approximately 5 mm (0.20 in) wide by 20 mm (0.79 in) long.
The generic and specific names derive from the Greek λύττα (lytta) for martial rage, raging madness, Bacchic frenzy, or rabies, and Latin vesica for blister.
The Spanish fly is a mainly southern European species although its range of habitats is more completely described as being "[t]hroughout southern Europe and eastward to Central Asia and Siberia," alternatively as being throughout Europe, and parts of northern and southern Asia (excluding China).
Adult beetles primarily feed on leaves of ash, lilac, amur privet, honey suckle and white willow tree while occasionally being found on plum, rose, and elm.
...
Wikipedia