SECTION II. ANIMAL DRUGS 



605. CANTHARIS CANTHAREDES 

 SPANISH PLIES. BLISTER BEETLES 



The beetle, Can'tharis vesicato'ria De Geer. (Pam. Coleoptera. ) Thoroughly dried 



at a temperature not exceeding 4OC. ( i O4P. ) . Should not contain more 



than 10 per cent, moisture, and should contain not less than 0.6 



per cent, of cantharidin. 



HABITAT. Southern and Central Europe and Northwestern Asia, feeding 

 on plants of the families Oleaceae and Caprifoliaceae. 



COLLECTION. By shaking or beating the food-plants; the insects are 

 then killed by heat (hot water) and rapidly dried. 



DESCRIPTION. A bronze-green beetle, with long (about i in. or 25 mm.) 

 and narrow (3^ to ^ in., about 7 mm.), subcylindrical body. The 

 vertical, rather triangular, head is constricted behind so as to form 

 a conspicuous neck. Odor strong and disagree- 

 able, caused, in the living insect, by a secreted 

 fluid containing uric acid, according to Maquetti. 

 The crushing of the dried insect yields a grayish- 

 brown powder containing green shining particles 

 (the bits of the green wing-covers and the 

 body- wall). 



The dried insects or the powder is subject to 

 the attacks of several Dermestid beetles and of 

 several mites (ftlyciphigus). The addition of a 

 little chloroform, oil of turpentine, or naphtha- 

 lene balls in a tightly closed vessel will help to 

 keep out these cantharid-eating pests; or, if they 

 have established themselves in the vessels, they may be killed by 

 the use of carbon disulphide. (See Part III.) 



OTHER SPECIES. Besides Cantharis vesicatoria, several other beetles of 

 the family Meloidae, especially species of Mylabris, Epicauta, and 

 Macrobasis, are used to obtain vesicatory agents, and give a larger 

 percentage of cantharidin than the officially recognized insect. 



437 



FIG. 257. Spanish 

 Fly (Cantharis vesi- 

 catoria De Geer) 

 (Original). 



