Fat ant thing looks like a cow

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tysonurich Houston, TX Feb 24, 2014

Found this little beauty stumbling awkwardly, dragging his behind across the porch with my friend. I think it's a fat ant, but Omid says it's a beetle. It crawled right into the glass and we took the pictures and let it go free. What the heck is it?

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Feb 25, 2014

This is a blister beetle (Coleoptera: Meloidae) in the genus Meloe; see http://content60.eol.org/content/2013/07/25/23/11966_orig.jpg for an example They often are called ‘oil beetles’ because of the oily fluid exuded from their joints when they are handled roughly. This fluid contains a chemical (cantharidin) that can cause blistering of tender skin. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantharidin

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