Bug FAQMaster Blister Beetle
Lytta magister · Order: Coleoptera · Family: Meloidae
Source: Wikipedia
The master blister beetle is 0.6 to 1.3 inches long and has a red head, legs and prothorax with black wing covers. They appear in large swarms in the Mojave and Colorado deserts during spring and the females lay eggs in desert soil; the larvae attack bee nests while adults feed on brittlebush flowers and leaves.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The beetle shows a bright red head, legs and prothorax contrasted with black elytra.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults measure between 16 and 33 mm (about 0.6 to 1.3 inches) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Although not venomous, they are capable of biting.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
Larvae are insectivorous and mainly prey on bee nests. Adults feed on the flowers and leaves of brittlebush.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Females lay their eggs in holes dug in desert soil. The hatched larvae seek out bee nests for food.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
They are most abundant in spring, when they form large swarms in desert habitats.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to the southwestern part of North America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 7 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Idaho, Texas.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Can the master blister beetle bite people?
Yes, they can bite, but the bite is mild.
Source: Wikipedia
Where are master blister beetles found?
They appear in large numbers in the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, especially in spring.
Source: Wikipedia
What do adult master blister beetles feed on?
Adults feed on the flowers and leaves of brittlebush.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Meloidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lytta_magister
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.