Identify These Black Beetles?

[tobh]

Didn't know where else to put this, as it's not specifically cannabis related but definitely of concern.

These creatures are eating a plant which produces what we call "goat heads" locally, the most evil thing you can step on when you're half asleep and trying to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. So I don't really care that they're devouring this plant. My concern is the fact that they are obviously eating it and wondering if I should be concerned for the ladies I have outdoors. I didn't find any around them but there's no telling how long it'll take for them to discover my tasty ladies, especially with the sheer amount of them there is and how aggressive they appear. They're about the length of the diameter of a quarter to fifty cent piece for size reference. Heads that look similar to an ant and almost appear as they may have wings. Here's some pics, I have no idea what these may be.



Thanks for any pointer you can offer. They're only on this one plant from what I saw around the yard (1.1 acre lot) and seeming to not attack anything else.

One Love,
tobh

 

[coloradoBTC]

black blister beetle

 

[GrowGod]

That's quit a group lol I don't think there gonna mess with the ganj though!

 

[tobh]

Based on my readings, I don't believe so either. The group was much larger than that, that was just a section of them. After a bit, they moved on to other little patches of that same type of plant. I just don't want them to affect some roses that are growing near by either or a vine we have growing. This summer's rains have brought forth some interesting creatures to say the least!

I appreciate the identification! Glad I asked before going and picking one of the things up, apparently they release a toxin that can cause blistering of the skin, hence the name. They're also very toxic and have been known to kill horses. Probably should notify all the cowboys I know to be checking their hay as only a handful of them can kill a horse dead. They tend to get crushed during the processing of the hay which releases the toxin, then they wind up being eaten and bam, $1500+ bill to dispose of a dead horse.

But they're also associated with Spanish fly, which is used as an aphrodisiac as well as having been used for arthritis and other ailments in folk medicine. Not too common anymore due to their toxic nature though.

 

[geologic]

Drop some Cannabis leaves--
where a big group are munching on the evil plants...