Out in the yard, a good all around option for blister beetle control is to spray the grass, plants, shrubs and mulch areas using CYONARA RTS. Labeled for used on plants and gardens, Cyonara uses an active which is strong enough to control blister beetles but safe enough to be used on food crops.

Identifying oil beetles The Violet and Black oil beetles are widespread and can be locally common. The Mediterranean, Rugged and Short- necked oil beetles are rare.

Blister beetles are sometimes so powerful and persistent that insecticides can be the most effective option for getting rid of the invaders. Sprays containing spinosad are your best bet because spinosad breaks down into harmless ingredients within a day or two.

Gardeners can keep the numbers of blister beetles in the garden to a minimum by spreading diatomaceous earth (also called DT) in the general vicinity of plants threatened by blister beetle attacks. Diatomaceous earth can also be used as a barrier in small pots and raised garden beds.

The beetle is part of the plant eating insect family, which feeds on items such as potatoes, tomatoes, alfalfa, grasses and more. American Oil Beetles are typically black or dark blue, and measure 7 to 30mm in length as an adult.

Habitat preferences Lesser celandine and Dandelion are thought to be the preferred adult food source and are also important for the triungulins. Adults also feed on, soft grasses and Cleavers (Galium aparine).

These beetle are black-blue or violet-blue, head and pronotum are very finely dotted and the elytra are quite shorter than the abdomen, as in other Meloinae species. The adults live on a sunny, dry area with flowering plants, feeding on pollen.

We later found out it was an oil beetle a precious and declining group of five beetles that live in calcareous grasslands, dunes, heaths and woodlands. They are a member of the wider 'blister beetle' family, Meloidae. They are so called because they squirt irritating oily droplets from their joints when alarmed.